


Scrub

by HeatherGiesbrecht



Category: Thor (Movies)
Genre: Aliens, Anger, Developing Relationship, Drunkenness, F/M, Fishing, Food, Forests, Gen, Gods, Horses, Humans, Kid Loki, Kid Thor, Knives, M/M, Magic, Magic-Users, Non-Canon Relationship, Pre-Thor (2011), Shapeshifters - Freeform, Snakes, Snow, Talking, Time Skips, To Be Continued
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-21
Updated: 2019-04-10
Packaged: 2019-05-26 06:42:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 21,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14995052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeatherGiesbrecht/pseuds/HeatherGiesbrecht
Summary: Loki coiled among the scrub to wait. Thor was almost in range.





	1. Scrub

Leaves rustled as Loki slithered along the forest floor. Sweet, sun warmed flowers, the musk of a nearby herd of bilge snipe and Thor's mud muddled scent bathed his flickering tongue. Thor might have loved snakes but he would never be one, which left his dear brother's curiosity unsatisfied. Unless Thor the Ever-Trusting picked one up. Father would have to appreciate him more, notice him at the very least, if Thor were to wind up injured. Heavy footsteps thudded through the ground a short ways away. He'd chosen a species Thor had yet to encounter - the Blue Banded Star Snake - whose tiny size belied its potent magical venom. Not that he was going to bite Thor, no. Just because he wasn't as strong didn't mean he had to rely on magic for everything. Even at the age of 8, his training dagger was of more use than the fangs that lay against the roof of his mouth. Deliberately, he snapped a few fallen twigs as he coiled among the scrub. Thor was almost in range.

One thing he disliked about shapeshifting was the rare, yet powerful urge to act like said animal. There was a mouse nearby, squeaking in its sleep. Its heart was beating so loudly. What was a feast compared to warm meat that'd been alive seconds ago ? All it would take was one bite and a single drop of venom to make its rest eternal. He was about to bolt down the mouse hole when Thor pulled him into the sun. He sifted back into Asgardian form hissing, "It's me!" to keep himself from lunging at Thor's neck. Annoyed at himself, he summoned the dagger and thrust it into Thor's back, the lower left side specifically. Wait, was his right Thor's left or was it his left and Thor's right ? Odin's beard, he hated directions.

Thor's face scrunched up. "What'd you do that for ?"

A grin crossed his lips. "Does it hurt yet ?"

"Y-" Thud.

"Oof. You didn't have to fall on me, you great lump." He gasped, collapsing into the leaf litter. Ugh, why was his hand all wet ? That was a lot of blood. Oh, God. Was Thor going to die ? Stinking bag of goat's breath that he was, Thor wasn't supposed to die. "Hey. Hey, wake up ! You know, the Valkyrie used to ride flying wolves but Grandfather thought they were too scary for Father so he made them switch to flying horses instead. Also, they were all women so they'd never let you join. Lucky you though, you still get to ride a flying horse. Well, flying colt."

"Muh, wolves where ? They attacking horses ?"

He rolled Thor into the leaves. "Nowhere, so no they're not. Now get on before you faint again." In normal circumstances he wouldn't do a legless shift and a quadruped so close together, but this was an emergency.

Thor climbed onto his back and wrapped his arms around his neck. "Just closed my eyes for a second."

That made him roll his eyes. Why did Thor bother trying to lie ? He was too honest to be believed. After running to gain speed and launching himself off a boulder, pale poplars fell away as he flapped into a cloudless blue sky. From this distance the palace was a shimmering golden dot. All he had to do now was avoid attracting the attention of a flying wolf pup. They'd be the right size for a snack, after all, and Father wouldn't even miss him if he wound up eaten, just Thor. Blond, brash and perfect Thor. No one ever said how much they loved his eyes, except for Mother, but absolutely everyone loved that Thor had blue eyes. It was like he didn't even exist when they were in the same room.

 

An hour later...

"Loki, why did you stab your brother ?"

"He said I wouldn't ever be strong enough to hurt him earlier." Last week at lunch was earlier than today, after all. "I was just proving him wrong."

"You are a Prince of Asgard, you should be above the use of excuses. You could have killed him."

"I took him to the Healing Room, Father, Eir said it was just a flesh wound. He's fine." Once again Father's concern was only for his precious heir, wasn't even asking what might've caused him to act how he did.

"I thought I raised my sons to be better than this. You will not be having anymore magic lessons for two months !"

"But, Father...,"

"No, Loki."

Mother walked into the ante-chamber to the King's suite. Her pale green dress shimmered like stars on a storm's edge as she stopped before Father. "Your sons are not more than babies, my king. Besides, it's not like this is unprecedented. Bor told me that when you were the same age you stabbed his favourite horse so that he'd have to spend time with you. If Loki wishes to spend more time with Thor, or you, let him. Also, your son is a Novice of Magic and needs all the practice he can get."

Yes ! Thank you, Mother. At least the Norns'd had the sense to destine him with one caring parent.

"You are ever the voice of reason, my queen." Father closed his eye for a long moment. "All right. I will allow it, if only Loki can look Thor in the eye and apologize meaningfully."

With an inward sigh, he walked up to Thor who sat on Mother's vanity bench. The frame-less silver mirror mostly showed Father's emotionless face, but Mother smiled encouragingly. Just so Father couldn't say he wasn't looking Thor in the eye, he pressed their foreheads together. "I'm sorry, brother, I shouldn't have stabbed you." Thor'd totally deserved it. "Can you forgive me ?"

"Of course I can, you stupid Frost Giant. You're my brother, you're my best friend."

That phrase made Mother scowl, she hated discriminatory things like that. Mother hadn't outright said Father's war stories were biased but all the stories they'd ever heard of Frost Giants stealing children from their beds at night or freezing and shattering people had come from Father. But, if they weren't horrid, mindless monsters why was travel to Jotunheim forbidden in spite of the treaty ? Maybe they were so monstrous they'd turned to cannibalizing each other ? Maybe they'd eat anyone that crossed their paths ? Norns knew, he'd do anything not to learn the truth of that matter.


	2. Inaccurate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki started finding...inaccuracies with the stories Father'd told him and Thor.

The next day...

"What're you doing, Father ?" Loki wondered as he walked into Father's study.

Father startled, loose papers fluttered through a ray of sunlight onto the floor. "You should remember to knock, my boy. The greatest offence to a foreign court is often a unconscious one."

He...he should remember ?! It was one time out of hundreds that he hadn't knocked. Thor never knocked, he barged in like a wolf was snapping at his backside every time. "I will. So, what are those for ?" As he approached the big, dark oak desk, he picked up the few papers that'd fallen on the close side. His eyes skimmed over the top page. Wereguild, urgent, Marauders and Vanir were the only words he recognized instantly.

"It is a request from the Vanir Emperor, Xin Qin, Qin Xinson as we would say. He wishes me to compensate them with sustenance. The Marauders robbed and sank one of our trade ships while it was en route to them. Should I accept or reject it, what do you think ?"

A bit of effort later, he'd climbed into one of the two chairs before Father's desk. "Vanaheim is one of our closest allies. They trade spices and tea for Asgardian protection, but they outnumber us despite lesser magics and tech-technologies. We would win, but too many of our people and theirs would die. It would be better to accept it."

"Indeed, it would, and I shall. Now, what else brings you here ?" Father reached across the emerald mat to collect and straighten the papers.

"There was a big, dark blond man and a boy of the same look requesting an audience earlier. Einherjar Olafson said you weren't to be disturbed. Am I disturbing you ?"

"Of course not. I forgot all about my meeting with Headsman Valinson and his boy, Baldur. Why don't you go find Thor while I go see to that ? We can talk more later."

Baldur, like bald-ur ? What a stupid name. Why couldn't Mother teach him how to cast curses ? Shapeshifiting was supposedly harder than curses, yet he'd always been able to shapeshift. All he would've done was make Baldur's hair fall out...and run around like a herd of ponies it was so long. Heh. One to remember for later. But, why would he even bother leaving the study ? As soon as he found Thor he'd have to come back right away. There must've been something interesting in Father's shelves. Ugh, he couldn't wait to grow up, no more scrambling up and down from adult-sized chairs. At least the feasting bench was sized that everyone fit on it comfortably, except for the warrior Volstagg. So many lower shelves, so little time.

The Harrowed Reunion of Novi and Ullia. Pfft, a bunch of sap. Varius the Valiant. Blunt as Mjolnir, and just as deadly if read past page 2. Bridge-cracking: A Contemporary History of Asgard and Jotunheim. Ooh, now that sounded interesting. Only a few pages in he started finding...inaccuracies with the stories Father'd told him and Thor. Since when had Grandfather been friends with Ymir, Jotunheim's former king ? When had Father ever been friends with Laufey ? Wait. Did that say Grandfather'd taken a Frost Giant as his junior wife ?! Thank God that time had passed because he didn't know what he would've done if he had two Mothers. Which still would've been better than Heimdall, the Bifrost Guardian, whose Father had taken eight junior wives. 

Hmm. What else was in this book that might be useful later ?

  
That night....

"Loki, we shouldn't be in here."

This was why he preferred exploring alone, Thor was so worried about arbitrary rules. "You wanted to get another look at Mjolnir, now you can. Besides, what are they going to do if we get caught ? Throw us out ? They wouldn't dare. If anyone besides Father has the right it is us. Or are you not a Son of Odin ? Ow."

"Know your place, brother."

Bilge snipe butt. After a scowl at Thor, he rubbed his shoulder and moved down the shiny metal hallway. Something one of the scrolls in the library had mentioned flitted through his mind. The Tesseract had once been in the Weapons Vault. Why would Father ever want to bring it to Midgard and replace it with the Casket of Ancient Winters ? There was an Infinity Stone in the Tesseract while the Casket was just a bunch of stupidly old Frost magic. Grandfather's friendship with Ymir ? Father's own former friendship with Laufey ? It was stupid. No one could even use the Casket since it only responded to those of Jotunheim's current royal family, of which only Laufey still lived. According to Bridge-cracking, Laufey's queen had died during the Asgard-Jotunheim War and left him without a child. Still, the Casket was prettier in person than the Tesseract's drawing. The white and blue magic swirled behind the deliberately cracked glacial-like ice, the grey stone handles gleamed under the torchlight. Could it really be so dangerous as Father made it sound ? It seemed so innocent just sitting there on its pedestal than again no one would've said he could stab Thor just going off of his appearance either.

"Come here, come to me, little Loki. I won't hurt you, I could never hurt you."

An elder's voice echoed in his mind and an urge to touch the Casket gripped him. Impulsively, he reached out only for Thor to wrench his arm down.

"What're you doing, slush brain ?! You're always telling me not to touch stuff and then you go try to touch that magic whatever it is. Unless it's Asgardian, magic is bad !"

"I'm not a slush brain ! My brain is bigger than a mouse's, which can't be said for yours. Magic takes patience and training that's all. I wanted to see if you were paying attention." Shaken though he was, the lie left his tongue as smoothly as any other had.

The tales of cryo-telepathy were true, apparently. Ancient ballads told of entire armies being persuaded to lay down in the snow never to wake because the Frost Giants had frozen the blood in their veins. It was no wonder now why the Casket was locked away. So, why hadn't Father commanded the Destroyer to melt it ? Unless Father planned to use the relic as leverage if Laufey ever decided he'd had enough of the treaty and hired the Marauders to help them invade.

Why did Father put more thought toward relics than him ? Had Father not wanted him at birth, was that it ? Of course, without him there'd be no fuss about who'd get the crown when Father stepped down...or died. Even if he had wanted it the choice was already made, no matter what Father said. Thor was first-born and tradition dictated that he be Crown Prince of Asgard and future Allfather. Thor who wasn't even smart enough to realize that when he got very angry or scared the wind picked up or a thunderstorm or rainstorm started. Asgard was doomed to chaos, no, the whole of Yggdrasil was doomed to chaos. Not even the fun kind because Thor wouldn't allow for no rules.

"Well, I kind of made Mjolnir fall on the floor but I managed to put it back. That thing is heavy. It's weird, normally, you would have jumped around like a Frost Giant trapped in a forge, but you didn't. It's like you were in a trance or something. Now can we get out of here ?"

"Yeah, I want to go sleep." That was true, fear and the remnants of pain in his shoulder had sapped his energy to almost nothing.

Maybe he'd actually sleep in for once ? Oh who was he kidding ? He wasn't going to do that. He'd miss the perfect opportunity to switch Cook's flour and sugar if he did.

 

 


	3. Tag

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki'd play tag if meant Thor not burning down the forest.

July 973 A.D.

"Father, Thor ate all our food ! He didn't even leave the apples and he hates them." Loki complained, throwing a pebble at Thor's stupidly thick skull. It bounced off without Thor noticing and splashed into the river beyond. His stomach grumbled as he looked down at the empty haversack.

"Mmph ?" Thor pulled two pieces of un-chewed apple out of his mouth. "Did you want these ?"

"Ew, that's disgusting. Don't be a pig, Thor."

"Your loss."

"My l-"

Father interrupted with, "Come here both of you, sit with me."

Confused, he walked to sit on the left side of the rock Father had settled on. "Is something wrong, Father ?"

"I don't know but someone is coming."

Feet crashed through the undergrowth toward them, someone grunted before a dark skinned boy tumbled out onto the grassy shore. A strange man called, "Kari, I told you to be careful in the forest !" and stepped out before seeing them. He knelt at once. "Your Majesty, Your Highness-es."

Ever gracious, Father waved his hand. "Rise, Haldi, brother of Heimdall. This is your son ?"

"Yes, my king. Kari, this is your king, Odin Allfather, and these are your princes, Thor and Loki Odinson."

Now curious, he got up and approached Kari. It disappointed him to see the boy didn't have Heimdall's golden eyes, the mark of All Sight. No Allfather had ever been born with that magic. Father said it would be too heavy a burden to bear when one was destined for the throne. "Welcome, Kari Haldison. What brings you here ?"

Kari got to his feet, brushed himself off. "Father said he was going to take me fishing, but we haven't caught anything yet. May I ask what Your Highness-es are doing ?"

"We were going for a hike and stopped to have lunch, but an animal's eaten our food." Its name was Thor, but they didn't need to know that. "Perhaps Thor and I can help you fish ?" Father always said that a good king should offer his citizens aid when they needed it, even though he'd never be king it was still sound advice. Kari would remember that it was Loki and not Thor who had offered him help.

"I would be honoured, my prince."  
  
They caught four salmon while Father talked with Haldi and made a fire. Thor and Kari one each with poles, him the remaining two as a bear cub. Since he was the only one with a knife, swords weren't exactly fit for the task, he cleaned and filleted the fish.

Haldi held up a piece as he went to lay it on the smoking platform, he whistled. "You have exceptional knife skills for your age, Prince Loki. Well done."

"Thank you, Master Haldi."

Why couldn't Father have said it instead ? He would have if Thor'd done it.

* * *

 

  
August 973 A.D.

"Mother, why are those Einherjar dragging Einherjar Olafson to the post ?" Loki whispered, instinctively clutching her hand as the angry Einherjar approached the parade ground dais.

"Ssh, my dear, your father is about to speak."

Father banged the great spear Gungnir on the sandstone, the thud echoed through their feet. "Erik Olafson, 4000 years ago you stood before me swearing to serve Asgard and your king faithfully. Now you stand before me a coward who left his fellow Einherjar to die on the field of battle, a disgrace to the principles that this Realm holds sacred. What have you to say before your punishment commences ? Have you anything at all ?"

Olafson raised his head, the brown eyes burned fervently. "My brothers know how to protect themselves with arms and armour, I did not fear for their safety. I fled so that my daughters might have a father. That they might learn to protect themselves before our Warriors or Einherjar are not there to help them. How would the Princes cope, my king, if you fell in battle tomorrow ? They have barely begun to travel the path destiny has set before them, they would not be ready for your absence from it. My girls are the same age as Prince Loki. Unlike the Prince, the dissolution of the Valkyrie so many years ago leaves my daughters vulnerable without a warrior at their side. I am no longer Einherjar, but I am still a citizen of Asgard and I ask the Allfather to consider reinstating the Valkyrie."

"It would be a request worthy of consideration had I the heartlessness to see such slaughter brought upon my citizens' daughters again. I, Odin Allfather, sentence you, Erik the Dishonoured, to a hundred lashes of the whip and 2000 years in the dungeon for cowardice. Einherjar Gjallerson, you will deliver the first 50 lashings. Einherjar Torson, the last 50."

Slaughter ? Mother always just said that the Valkyrie had died gruesome deaths. Personally, he thought it'd been a horde of fire dragons. They were faster than flying horses and, according to Mother, could burn the feathers off of one with a single breath. Any Valkyrie who'd survived that would've fallen hundreds or thousands of metres, all while the molten helmet burned out her eyes and flooded into her nose. That would've been a gruesome way to die for almost anyone, much less him. To see a fire dragon flying toward him, toward Mother and the city, would be one of his worst nightmares come to life. In all reality, he could've done very much without fire. It was too bright, it stank horribly and it could destroy almost anything if it was hot enough, like the forge on Nidevillir. Which Father had finally promised to take him to...next year. How exciting, he couldn't wait. Right, he could wait because he had to. Even though Thor'd gotten to go on the same day he was promised. It wasn't fair ! Father was a no-good son of a Frost Giant, though not literally thank the Norns.

The first whip stroke fell and Olafson barely grit his teeth. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad ? Yet by the time the fifth stroke fell blood speckled the stone. His stomach twisted unpleasantly, not unlike the time he'd eaten a rotten rabbit as a wolf pup. Excepting, of course, that he'd done it to himself, however unintentionally. Would Father have the same thing done to him when he was old enough for battle ? Stabbing Thor was one thing, but having to kill someone ? That was far more terrifying. Yes, he liked gaming and jesting but he wasn't Thor, he wasn't overly violent. He didn't dream about going into battle and getting a stranger's blood on him. Blood that could contain God only knew how many foreign diseases and other nasty, incurable things. Ugh.

Thunder rumbled as dark clouds suddenly blocked the sun.

"You've seen enough for today, boys." Mother whispered before she teleported him and Thor far from the parade ground.

Thor stomped over to a half-rotted poplar, which snapped in half when he kicked it. "Father shouldn't've done that ! Why did he do that, Loki ?! Einherjar Olafson just wanted to help his kids."

Impulsively, he hugged Thor. "Father had to do it. If he let Olafson go others would start doing it too and then there wouldn't be any Einherjar. If Asgard were attacked Father couldn't defend Mother, us and our people at the same time. He'd fall into the Odinsleep before long and we'd all be slaughtered." What even was the Odinsleep ? Mother'd said it was a kind of magical coma, but weren't comas bad ? Grandfather had fallen into one after saving a village from a giant bear and he'd never woken up.

"Oh."

"Exactly. Do you want to play tag ? I want to." Just to make sure Thor didn't burn down the forest. Not feeling like playing peacekeeper as a badger chattered angrily from the set beneath their feet, he dragged Thor toward the gurgling of a stream.

"Are you going to turn into a squirrel and start hoarding nuts again ? Because that was funny. Ow. Hey, you actually hit me."

"Hey yourself, and that was one time." God, that'd been humiliating and Thor'd just had to tell Fandral and Sif all about it. At least Fandral had the tact not to bring it up since, Sif did not. "I am not going to turn into anything." Yet. "You're it." When it got to his turn he just had to wait until Thor hid under a tree, transform into a bird and dive on him. It would technically still be tag, he'd just be tagging Thor by the hair instead of the body.

* * *

November 973 A.D.

"Loki ! Loki, come inside !"

Loki huffed as he lay in his half-finished snow angel. "Why, Father ?" Snowflakes drifted down from a starry sky. Winter was his favourite season, mainly because he got to laugh at Thor when his hair got clumped-up by Fandral's snow-washes. It helped that Thor never stayed out after dark, which let him be alone, except for the Einherjar on guard duty. Plus, if Thor did venture outside he tripped over the most obvious things his night vision was so terrible.

"It is cold out here, that's why." Father stood on the steps that led from the palace gardens to the entrance hall.

"But I'm not cold !"

"You have been out here for hours, you've become numb to it. Now come inside or I'll have to wake your mother."

With a sigh, he got up and followed Father into the hall. It confused him when Father looked around before asking him to take his gloves off. Why would Father care if the Einherjar saw ? Unless Father were ashamed to be seen with him. Annoyed, he did as bid and what he saw startled him. His fingertips had turned blue. Not a dark blue-black like deep frostbite but a lighter almost icy blue. Wasn't frostbite supposed to hurt ? Father's hands clasped his, the sudden warmth that shot through his fingers made him yelp. Still, whatever spell Father had used, his fingers returned to normal a few seconds after being released.

"It is time for you to go to bed. Your mother wants to start your illusion training tomorrow."

Illusion magic ? Finally ! It might've been time to go to bed, but how could he possibly sleep ? He was one step closer to becoming an Adept then a Journeyman and then, at long last, a Master of Magic. Who needed kingship ? All he wanted was mastery.


	4. Fraki

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Uncle Fraki'd been adopted ?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Canonically Frigga does not have a brother but I wanted her to have one.

March 974 A.D.

In a few short months Loki had come a long way from failing to stabilize the illusion of an emerald. Now he could fool the honour guard of Einherjar that stood before the Hall of Sleep as he passed them. It was so funny watching them sense something small, yet see nothing. Some frowned or furrowed their brows but not one dared to move. When the golden doors to the Hall swung open for him an Einherjar close-by muttered, "What the Hel ?" He walked inside, the doors closed and he burst into laughter, which echoed off the cavernous walls.

It was nearly dark inside but for the light of a few flickering torches and the golden magic that covered Father's bed like a glittering dragon's egg. Mother had briefly left her duties as Queen Regent to see Father again. She sat on the right side of the bed. "Amusing yourself again ?"

Slowly, almost on tiptoe, he approached the bed. "Yes, Mother." God, he hoped Father woke up soon. Father was far too still, his eye and hands hadn't twitched even though he'd been asleep for two days straight. How could magic be so taxing on a body just because it got older ? Shouldn't it have happened to him and Thor instead, since they weren't used to wielding magic ? It didn't make sense and he didn't like it.

"That's good. Your father should be waking up any hour now, so what brings you back ?"

"What does it mean when someone's been adopted ?"

"It means that they don't live with their birth parents anymore. What got you curious ?"

"Sif said her adopted siblings were stupid and that she wished her mother had never married Heimdall's father."

Mother pursed her lips. "Jarl Taric was very opinionated about certain things and he married Lady Joris because she shared his beliefs. It seems Sif is the same as Joris was before she met Hjalmir. You know, your uncle Fraki, my big brother, is adopted."

"Uncle Fraki's adopted ? So, he's not really your brother ?"

"Yes, and no. While Fraki is not related to me by birth, he is my brother. I was angry at my parents, at Fraki too, for weeks and then one day when I was in the forest hunting with him some Marauders attacked us. We fought them off but he'd taken a sword through the shoulder for me after one of them stole his shield. I realized then that it didn't matter if he was adopted because I still loved him like a brother. He is my family, Loki, as much as you are."

"I only met your mother because Fraki got himself wounded, you know. I'd been stupid enough to try challenging a pack of flying wolves all by myself. If it hadn't been for Fraki I would have stumbled right past that clearing. Instead I fell toward it and she came to investigate the sound. I thought I'd died and gone to Valhalla she was so beautiful. And you are still the Goddess of Beauty to me, my love."

"That's still nonsense, you clearly haven't gotten enough sleep yet."

"Father, you're awake !" With that exclamation, he crawled into the bed to hug Father. "I missed you. I love you."

"I love you, too." Father kissed his forehead.

He wrinkled his nose and held in a series of sneezes. Father's beard was itchy, Grandfather's beard had been itchy, so all beards must've been itchy. Please tell him he didn't need to have one when he grew up ?

* * *

August 974 A.D.

"Etieri Forge-Heart, King of Nidevillir, this is my youngest son, Loki, Prince of Asgard."

Loki knew his neck was going to be sore tomorrow from craning it to look up and up and up at the Dwarven King. The stories had never mentioned the Dwarves size, he'd always thought they were Asgardian-sized or, well, smaller. Did female dwarves really have beards or was that just an ancient tale to dissuade intermingling and technique thievery ? An urge to ask burned him. Unlike Thor, he held his tongue for the likelihood of offending Etieri.

"It is nice to meet you, Prince Loki."

"The pleasure is mine, Your Majesty. Asgard is fortunate that your ancestors forged Gungnir and Mjolnir, they have helped us many times."

Etieri laughed. "I am glad you know more than Thor did. Asgard have also helped my people many times. Now, what brings you, Allfather, apart from the young prince ?"

"There is something I wish to have you forge for me. Perhaps you might go ahead, friend Eiteri ? I wish to speak to Loki privately."

When the dwarf had gone he rubbed at his neck. "Did I say something wrong, Father ?"

"No, that was fine. It is just that the forge is very hot and I think you would be safer if you stayed where it is cooler, here."

"I could turn into a snake and coil up on your arm." Why would Father even bother to bring him here if he couldn't even see the forge itself ? Yes, he was a bit more heat sensitive than Thor but that shouldn't've been an excuse because he was a shapeshifter.

"Except then there would be every chance you would slip off and be crushed to death under someone's boots. I won't have it. You will stay here and wait for my return, that is an order. Heimdall keep an eye on my son."

Mrrr, humph. Not only was Father ashamed of him but Father also thought him too stupid to avoid a bunch of dwarves. Even Thor wasn't that stupid ! Honestly. So Father'd brought him here not because he wanted to, but because it was ceremonial. What a waste of time. Well, at least he could finally finish The Saga of the Owl Clan since Mother'd taught him how to summon books.

* * *

March 985 A.D.

"Did you want a piece, Mother ?" Innocently, Loki held out a second plate of golden apple and blackberry pie. Thank the Norns and God for Xandar. Of course he'd never actually been to the Realm of Xandar, Father said it was too dangerous for him to travel outside Yggdrasil until he was 60, but he liked their pastries.

Mother chuckled, rising from her vanity to accept plate and fork. "Did Baker Liefson say you could ?"

"He did." If one counted overhearing Baker Liefson say that he and Thor could have the first pieces, at supper, as permission. "But I couldn't let him leave you out, you're the best Mother ever."

"You are a charmer, my little one. I'll tell you what, why don't we eat these and you can show me how your fire summoning is going ?"

  
15 minutes later...

As Mother banished the dishes to the kitchen, he took a deep breath. Magical fire or not, it still scared him. For a moment, he stared into the silver mirror. It should've been easy. He exhaled slowly, cupped his hands, pictured a dark emerald ember in his palms and summoned the magic. It shivered to life, for the first time it kindled and stretched into the air, lightening around the edges as it expanded. Maybe it was ragged as a raven's wing but it was functional. Yes. Take that, Thor ! Stupid mouse brain couldn't hope to appreciate the effort, the intricacies. Now he just had to...,

Bang !

His concentration and the flow of magic broke as Thor stormed into the ante-chamber.

"I can do what I want ! I'm a Prince of Asgard, Volstagg is just a stupid fat F...ilge snipe. Mother, tell him I can go swim if I want to."

The red haired and bearded warrior puffed into the room and bowed. "Ah. My sincerest apologies for interrupting you and Prince Loki, my queen."

"Your apology is accepted, Volstagg. Thor, you know that Loki and I train at this hour. What is this about ?"

"He wants me to do dumb stuff like arithmatic, I wanna swim instead !"

"Why don't we compromise ? You can go swimming if you promise to tell him how many fish or shells you see every few minutes."

"Would the Kraken count as one or a whole bunch ?"

Already angry at the interruption, he got up, turned and snarled, "It is far too big to swim anywhere you'll find it. After all, its the only thing bigger than your ego in all the Nine Realms."

"It is not !"

"It is too ! Now get out so I can practice."

"I'm older, you get out."

"I wish you weren't my brother because you're stupid !"

"Yeah, well, I hate you ! You're a cow. Cow head !"

Triumphant, he retorted. "The insult is cow-face, a cow head is a severed cow's head or a mask."

"Shut up, Loki !" Thor turned and ran back out of the room, Volstagg followed.

Mother sighed then shook her head. "Before supper you will apologize for calling Thor stupid and Thor will apologize for calling you a cow. Both of you will do this or neither of you will go to The Tragedy of Varisa the Valiant tonight."

Say he wanted about Father's lopsided disciplinary action, but at least Mother was fair. He loved watching the Royal Theatre's plays, the acting, the props and the choir were always perfect. They were also some of the only fields, apart from healing, that didn't involve violence in any capacity. Sure, everyone still ignored him, but no one paid Thor any attention then either. God knew when Thor became king the Theatre and Choir's funding would get smashed to bits in favour of the Security Council and Army. What use would war, battle and death be without joy, jesting and gaming to offset it ? None. That would require a somewhat amicable relationship with his dear brother, so it seemed he would have to apologize. Even if he still didn't mean it.


	5. Oath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Even as a warrior he'd still get overshadowed.

September 9099 A.D.

 

Pale blue stole across the horizon like a fleeing thief as Loki pushed the skiff's throttle forward. Much as he enjoyed flaunting his shapeshifting, it was physically exhausting if he wanted to fly somewhere, thus he'd taken the flying course as soon as he was able. A skiff offered far more manuvouerability and speed than longboats, barges and spaceships. Thor had crashed a total of 27 skiffs, 10 longboats, 5 barges and 7 spaceships while he had yet to crash one once.

 

Ravens suddenly flew out of the oaks at the shore and headed straight for him. "Ila's in trouble, Ila's in trouble." was all that they would say as some turned back toward the forest and others landed on the skiff's edge.

 

If Huggin and Munnin had taught him anything it was that ravens in particular were shrewd, lying was beneath them. He followed the flock to a clearing the sun's light had yet to reach, below he could see the patchwork armour and weapons that defined the Marauders. Most Marauders had the decency to leave elders in peace, not these ones. An ancient crone hobbled toward the trees, leaning heavily on a walking stick. When the throttle of a skiff was pushed back it entered descent mode and even when controlled it did so at a very rapid rate; utilizing that and an illusion of two full-capacity skiffs the Marauders fled without a fight.  

 

He leaped over the skiff's side, mentally noticing it was much easier than a few months ago, before walking to the elder's side. "Are you well, elder ?"

 

"As well as one my age can be, o' Sly One." The crone straightened her black cape and dress then stumped on. "Ila the Ancient thanks you, Prince Loki. Let me repay you with breakfast, my hut is not far from here."

 

"Have you perhaps seen something ?" Only witches and sorceresses could see the future without ethereal help or the Waters of Sight. It was rude to ask about one's future without tact and even ruder to demand details. Their ancestors had actually had to exile people for continual pestering of witches.

 

"Yes, I have seen something of your future. It is great, sad but great."

 

That seemed fitting seeing how when he and Thor finally swore their Warrior's Oaths a few years from he'd likely continue to get overshadowed. If anything it would just get worse since Thor's visible muscle mass complimented his strength whereas he'd never have such obvious muscle. Not that he would have liked lumbering around like a dwarf, he much preferred being able to move quickly. The air was fragrant with the smell of cooking porridge and golden apples as Ila took him into a hut not far away.

 

A small cauldron stood in the middle of the room, which contained the food, and a middling cauldron was set off to the right side. Dried herbs hung in bunches from the ceiling and lay on shelves enchanted to float around at hand height. It was honestly the smallest dwelling he'd ever been in and he found it a bit claustrophobic.

Ila filled a bone white bowl for him, handing it off with a chuckle. "I don't have visitors often since I retired from being Court Sorceress. Although, that was thousands of years before Thor's birth and yours. Commoners are wary of all magic, but especially witchcraft, they avoid this part of the woods like I have Creeping Frostbite."

 

Finally the niggle at the back of his mind made sense. "You're Grandfather's older sister, Ila the Illustrious. You were the first sorceress to kill a dragon by yourself ! You helped repel the Invasion of Vanaheim with only three Valkyrie at your side. Great Aunt, please say you'll teach me something of magic. Please."

 

"You haven't even left the Nine Realms yet, not to mention you're not an Adept and the magic I would teach you is very powerful. You can start, however, by helping me with some potions after breakfast. Even if you never use it, every good witch and sorcerer of Asgard should know how to make a mild Healing Draught."

 

Well, potions did require some skill at magic to make properly. Ah. Just a few more years and then he'd finally get to explore the galaxy.

 

* * *

April 11th, 1020 A.D.

 

"Loki Odinson, my secondborn, do you swear to defend your king, your queen, the people of Asgard and all the Nine Realms faithfully until you draw your last breath ?"

 

"I swear." Exhilaration flooded through Loki's veins as he finished the last of his Warrior's Oaths. There were a hoard of deadly, beautiful knives that Father might have chosen for him. Could it be Blodletr, the ancient blade with an emerald pommel stone and silver hilt that had slain 20 werewolves in a single night ? Or Rippr, that great obisidian hilted blade which had sundered the jaws of dragons and giant bears ? Something grand, surely, since Father had given Thor the blond's long desired Mjolnir.

 

Father turned, took an unfamiliar golden hilted dagger with an uru blade from an Einherjar and presented it to him. "When you wield this blade know that all Asgard stands with you. Let your destiny choose a fitting name for it."

 

He accepted the dagger answering, "I will remember. I only wish to protect you and our people from harm." while he rose from kneeling. Disappointment and anger replaced his joy as Thor clapped. Why did Thor get a historied weapon when he got nothing more than a piece of gold and sharpened uru ? Father must've truly despised him. Sometimes he just wanted to change into a snake or a raven, even a bilge snipe or goat, and just disappear into the forest. At least Mother would still visit and Father could finally fawn over Thor in peace.

 

Thor clapped him on the shoulder. "We finally did it, brother. Warrior Princes at long last."

 

"For you maybe, I'm only 55. What, were you not even trying the 400-some years before I was born ?"

 

"Why would I ? Before you showed up no one tried. It's like they thought I was made of glass."

 

More likely they'd just thought Thor would throw a tantrum if he lost, which he had many times. After one of which he'd taken the pleasure of cutting Thor's precious hair while he napped. Not the front or back, that would've been far too noticeable. No, he'd just trimmed the sides down to fuzz...and added, "I love Baldur." in ancient runes. That scream'd been so gratifying, yet disappointingly fleeting.

 

Later that day...

 

"I want to go now !"

 

"Thor, you just barely swore your oaths. Have patience, you can wait one more night for your first battle."

 

"Wait, wait ?! You and Loki wait all the time, skulking around like a pair of Frost Giants under a bed. Someone has to do something in this damned family !"

 

"You will go with the Einherjar patrol to Vanaheim tomorrow and that is final."

 

He followed Thor out of the upper throne room and into the courtyard. Stars dotted a green-tinted sky, thick clouds circled the palace. Thunder rumbled.

 

"Go away, Loki."

 

"You insult me and then you expect me to just go away ? That's not how brotherhood works. I just think Father has the right idea; I mean, yes, we've sparred, but we've never taken humanoid lives before. You can't really want to rush into that, can you ? There's no going back to innocence."

 

"Who wants to be innocent forever ? We just got some of the best weapons Dwarves can forge and you want to let them rust ?"

 

"If I meant that I would've said that. You really want to roast someone alive come tomorrow morning if there are Marauders ?"

 

"Are you kidding ? If there are of course I do. We're going to leave Asgard as mere Princes and return as Warrior Princes. The youngest pair in 15, 000 years. Isn't that exciting ?"

Idiot.

 

"Yes. Let me count the hours. Can we just go to sleep ? You can make storms to your heart's content tomorrow."

 

One thing, at least, was clear: Should tomorrow turn into a battle no other had earned the right to stab Thor, much less kill him.

 

* * *

Evening, April 12th

 

"So there I am helping Loki limp into this little hall and I spot a group of people coming toward us. I shout at them to get help but it turned out they were actually a reserve of Marauders. Oh, you should have heard Loki scream as I threw him into them. Either way, they didn't get up again."

 

The thick smoke that wreathed the drinking hall made Loki's eyes water as he sipped his ale. It wasn't like he'd had to slash that Kree's throat while it'd been sneaking up on Thor. He was lucky he even still had a foot after that three-headed giant's equally gigantic sword had hit him. Thor'd only killed that damned thing because he'd turned after hearing the Kree in its death throes. Stupid stinking bag of goat's breath didn't care about due honour, the giant was just one more way for Thor to humiliate him. The good thing about getting 'drunk' any time, much less for the first time, was that no one questioned a spill or two. Thus him knocking his mug over, so the contents spilled into Thor's lap, just looked like an accident. "Oops."

 

Maybe Thor would finally ask Baldur to help him clean up ? God knew it seemed like Thor'd barely kept from saying, "Loki go ask Baldur if he wants to watch me bathe." a handful of times. If everyone wasn't obsessed with Thor then they were going mad over Baldur, except even Thor had fallen in lust for the dark blond adolescent. What was ironic was that while nearly everyone wanted Baldur, Baldur wanted him.

 

Thor slapped his back and roared with laughter. "We got bloody today, brother, what's a little drink to go with it ? To the Allfather and Allmother, may they reign another 6000 years !"

 

"Hear, hear." It wasn't like he was going to miss a toast even when he was missing a mug. "Now if you'll excuse me, I've got some studying to do."

 

"Let me help my prince back to the palace." Baldur interjected standing from his spot between Fandral and Sif.

 

Sif muttered, "Why doesn't our prince just squirrel his way back home ? He's still a shapeshifter, isn't he ? Unless he's just nuts now."

 

Rrr. He'd been an Adept of Magic for just over 18 years and Mother still hadn't taught him any curses yet. Maybe he'd get around that by trying to turn Sif into a newt one of these days. Even better, a frog.

 

Thor growled, "Bleeding son of a Frost Giant." as he banged his knee in drunken haste. "I've got a better idea ! We can go to Midgard, they'll believe anything if you show them a bit of magic. We'll be Gods, brother, and make no mistake."

 

"They maybe idiots, brother, but you still need a cunning plan, a guileful plan, and I've got just the one."

 

Some lightning, a giant snake, maybe a bear or a few flying wolves. Maybe he'd throw in a fireball or two from time to time.


	6. Enthrall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki couldn't believe it, there was thralldom on Midgard. Thralldom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tafl is basically the ancient Norse/Scandinavian version of chess.

Early morning, April 13th, 1020 A.D.

"Shall I wear my silver and emerald armour or the gold and emerald armour for this oh-so momentous occasion ? What say you, Baldur ?" Loki had to admit that he loved watching Baldur squirm.

"I, um, I would say the silver and emerald armour. It would reflect the moonlight more than the gold and make your eyes stand out more. Not that you need to stand out more, you're already the smartest one here, after all."

"An excellent reasoning, my friend."

Was it his imagination or was Thor glaring at Baldur ? It seemed Thor's own obsession took a seat at the thought that he might reciprocate the feelings. Oh, that was good. He couldn't have planned it better himself.

Thor growled, "You should get going or they'll be abed before we get there."

While Baldur hurried off, he walked up to Thor and cupped his nape. "Are you jealous ?" Thanks to Father, pressing their foreheads together for honesty had become ingrained as anything. Good God, Thor's breath stank like a goat with a urinary infection had pissed in it. Well, at least, he hadn't actually drank that much.

Blue eyes struggled to focus in the moonlight, "No. That'd be stupid. Frost Giants're stupid, the Mighty Thor wouldn't stupid. Blah, son of bitches. Uh, no offense meant, Heimdall. Your mothers are prefectly, nuh-uh, perfectly nice ladies."

Even with his enormous self control, he couldn't supress a snicker. "You're a terrible liar, brother, you always have been. Come now, you know I'll never love anyone as much as I do you." He shivered as a warm, calloused finger slid over his cheekbone. "Except for Mother and Father, of course."

"You'll get there yet."

"I'm sorry, did I some part of this conversation ? Because you couldn't give less of a shit about magic, much less nonverbal communication." 

"Fandral has a goat's beard and Hakem, Haki, whatshisname, Heimdall's nephew anyway, has a bunch of stubble, but you don't have anything. You wait a few more months and I'm sure the bilge snipe will be jealous of all that hair." 

"If I ever wanted a beard I'm sure it would look better than the mange-ridden bear that's smothering your face. Try not to drown before giving your speech, yeah ?"

"Drown ? Fuck water."

"Fish already put their sperm in it. Why would you want to, too ? Unless you want everyone to remember you as Thor the Fishfucker." Just to amuse himself, he shifted his voice into that of a male elder. "Did you hear about the Mighty Thor ?" A little girl. "Who ?" Back to the elder. "The guy that had sex with a fjord." Back to the girl. "Oh, that guy. I heard he was weird." 

"Remind me to punch you tomorrow morning. Ow, ow. Bloody Hel." The branches of an ancient oak rained down as Thor flew off.

It was too bad he was going to forget that. Memory was such a fickle thing.  

  
10 minutes later...

He rolled his eyes as Thor swayed on the dock. He'd already played a game with Thor's hair shifting it to dark red from the perfect blond. The sack of sentient hammers hadn't even noticed. If Baldur had done his part perfectly he'd stumbled into the village claiming a giant snake had injured him while it battled a giant bear in a nearby fjord. Some of the villagers had doubtlessly prayed to Odin for protection and Thor had come down to 'answer' the prayer. 

"In these last years you may have forgotten Asgard but Asgard has not forgotten you. I am Thor Odinson, Crown Prince of Asgard and the mightiest of her warriors. The powers of the storm are mine and so are your enemies !" Thor thrust Mjolnir skyward, lightning struck the ancient hammer and thunder roared as storm clouds scudded across the half-moon. The Midgardians gasped collectively and stared in awe. 

If such unimpressive magic had wowed them then he was going to send them all to Hel from shock. After all, they'd never dreamed of seeing a Giant Asgardian Fen Snake in their worst nightmares. Male Fen Snakes had dark brown body scales with a cream underbelly and a bite capable of poisoning a Giant Moose, its preferred prey, to death in a minute flat. The fjord was still as Xandarian glass until he shifted form and slid into it, even then he barely caused a ripple. As he approached the village, he impulsively snapped up a waterfowl that had landed on the surface. His part was simple but far more fun: Launch himself from the water at Thor, wrap himself around and take an, of course, illusory bite while Thor unwound him and he turned back into Asgardian form. So he came to stand beside Thor as an elderly woman fainted. "I am Loki, brother of Thor, Prince of Asgard and cleverest of all her sorcerers." Of any one, really.

A male elder clad in a dark brown, mink-collared robe knelt on the packed dirt. "Hail Thor and Loki, sons of wise Odin. What can we offer our Lords ? Drink ? Pleasure ? Games ?"

God, the Midgardians were tiny, they barely reached his mid-chest. Thor would go for pleasure to join his first battle and drink, of course. It set his teeth on edge. Whether Asgardian or Midgardian, some peasant woman did not deserve to sully the House of Odin through Thor. Still, he amused himself for an hour by winning every game of Tafl set before him, lighting random goblets on fire and loosing illusionary birds for the children to admire. Then he decided to go see the temple in the flesh, having only seen it through Mother's illusions. A path had formed over the last ten thousand-some years of hunting, raiding parties and pilgrimages to the forest enclosed temple. A lone, grey furred wolf slunk beside the path keeping him company through the darkened underbrush. Something dull brown and black lay half on and half off the path.

The wolf moved to sniff it then yipped. "Man's pup." 

What would a child be doing out here ? Unless it'd been left alone to die, one of Midgard's most atrocious traditions. It was a black haired boy clad in tattered brown rags, a large, bloody gash glimmered on the tanned forehead. The Kree had lain just like that. The awful gurgling the Kree had made while thrashing, choking on its own blood, came back vividly. All the blood on its front as Thor had turned it over after the battle's end and laughingly bashed in its skull. Bile rose in his throat, he disgorged it then wiped his lips with a shaking hand. Maybe if he'd actually been drunk he wouldn't have cared. Unfortunately, he wasn't and he was starting to hate the sight of blood, not the smell, just the sight. Thankfully, he'd been too far away to see the others because he'd used his throwing knives and fire.

Was the boy dead ? Cautiously, he approached. Such a vicious wounding suggested an atypical abandonment for a child. As he crouched he saw a metal collar encircling the boy's throat. A thrall, not some warrior or boat builder's son, a thrall. Thralldom hadn't been practiced in Asgard since Great Grandfather Burri's time, obviously Grandfather hadn't felt obliged to end the practice on Midgard. Something he'd thought Father would have mentioned due to favouring peace in all things. Impulsively, he picked up the boy.

The temple's weather-blackened stone appeared through the lower and middle boughs of the trees. It'd originally been built by Great Grandfather Burri then expanded on by Father for hiding the Tesseract. The double doors were plain oak, as Great Grandfather had preferred. Even if he hadn't had full arms or a love of theatrics, he still would have thrown them open telekinetically. His boots clicked on the pale brown stone as he entered, an elder in the Head Priest's orange robe turned to look at him from across the human king's tomb. He didn't know how Father could have befriended the human, but he didn't particularly care, either.

"What can we do for you, my lord ?"

"I am Loki Odinson, the...," Since he'd always loved causing trouble, why not ? "God of Mischief, and you will train this boy to become my priest."

The priest stepped around the tomb to kneel before him. "Forgive me I pray, but he is a thrall, my lord. Thra-"

He cut across the elder, "This boy is a thrall as much as I am one." To punctuate the point, he slid two fingers under the collar and pulled gently. It snapped like a dry twig then clinked on the floor. "Fail to do as I command and I will curse your sons, your daughters, your grandchildren and great grandchildren. Each more horrific than the last until they are ugly enough that even a Frost Giant would be repulsed by them."

"I am free ?" A tremulous whisper left the boy's lips. 

Never in his life had he heard such piteousness, such fear, from one so young. "Yes, child, you are. If you wish you may live in the village or in time become the hand-picked High Priest of Loki."

"The Gods have answered my prayers at last." Tears spilled from the bright blue eyes and cleared tracks in the dirt on the tanned cheeks. "I will serve them."

He put the boy on his feet, "Do you know your name ?" If the adults were tiny than the children neared miniscule.

"I know that I was Tor's son, but Master killed him long ago. Master, Nidall of Helmir, called me Torson when he was angry and Fishgut when he wasn't." 

"I shall name you, then. Allin Torson, to honour the Allfather and your father." Plus, when one went all in for a sheep, one had to go all in for the wolf. Returning to seriousness, Grandfather had told him of Helmir. That the Midgardians who lived there worshipped Ymir, that they waited until winter to throw their prisoners into the frigid ocean, and claimed Hel was a Goddess. How a Realm could be a Goddess he didn't know, but it cemented their gullibility.

Still crying, Allin hugged him. "Thanks be to you, Lord Loki."

"Of course. Now, the High Priest will have someone tend your wounds. Rest assured, Allin, that I will tend to Nidall of Helmir." With that said, he stepped back, walked to the carving of Yggdrasil across from the tomb and pressed the knot on the World Tree's trunk. Stone rumbled beneath his feet before the door to the hidden chamber swung open. At least the Casket had glittered and glowed like ice under the sun, the Tesseract, the Cosmic Cube as Grandfather had called it, just sat on its shelf seeming nothing more than a painstakingly carved cube of cobalt. Except that even Asgard had yet to discover what the Space Stone's casing was made of, because Father said that to study the Stone invited the temptation to use it. Why was Father so afraid to wield its power ? To study the Stone, which made every method of teleportation possible, could only better their people. No longer would there be a need for Einherjar to waste precious time and energy running to Bifrost when Marauders attempted to raid Nidavellir, they could teleport directly into the Forge and kill any intruders. Someone lost a hand in sparring or battle ? Just teleport both into the Healing Room and they could be reunited. 

To look at the Tesseract was one thing, but Heimdall would immediately tell Father if he tried to pick it up. Nrr, the Watcher always had to ruin his best games and jests by telling Father. If only there were some way he could escape that all-seeing gaze; a spell or an enchanted object of some sort. Hmm. Illa would know if no one else. Had she not hinted at teaching him something interesting last week ? Cryptic as they could be, he loved witches and sorceresses, not in a romantic way. Emotional attachments of any sort were a weakness that Marauders had no qualms about exploiting. With that thought in mind, he teleported to the Fjord of Falia, which he could only because Mother had described it in good detail. Jagged grey rocks and wind blasted pines still clung to the shore, meanwhile a strange, icy path wound from the ocean toward a fortified village. 

 

Afternoon, April 13th, 1020 A.D.

"You destroyed a Midgardian's home, Loki. Burned it to the ground ! You could have killed him."

Loki stopped pacing the red carpet to glare at Father. "So what ? He's still alive and it's his fault anyway. I wouldn't have done it if he hadn't been a slaver ! He let his own people starve. I am...,"

"You are a Prince of Asgard...,"

"And you are Allfather. How is Midgard protected when filth like Nidall roam free ? It's not !"

"That is my responsibility as Allfather, not yours. You're far too young to decide punishments for others."

"How can I be too young ?! How can I when at the same time I am old enough to kill in your name ? To defend our home, the other eight Realms. Or did you make me a warrior just so that I wouldn't bring shame upon your House ?! Actually, it doesn't matter. Since my father doesn't care, the Allfather may find me in the library."

Later, much fucking later. His blood felt like it had turned to fire from his anger, it started to cool when he shifted into crow form and took flight. All the ancient sagas, lays, tales and ballads said that heroes got rewarded for helping the oppressed, yet here Father was trying to punish him. At least Illa understood his frustration somewhat. When she and Grandfather had fought off some intergalactic thieves called Ravagers who had gotten the most honour ? Illa for frightening the thieves into retreating to their ship or Grandfather for decapitating a Skraeling ? Grandfather, of course. Pfft. A 30 year old with a sharp sword could decapitate one of those stupid, bipedal, swamp loving lizards. Which was not to say that he didn't love Grandfather, he did, but Asgardian history was not kind to those it deemed untraditional. The most Illa would get when she died was a ballad about how she was Grandfather's sister and a good witch. History wouldn't even mention that she should've been Allmother of Asgard. As it stood, every single one of the Allmothers, which were double or triple the number of Allfathers thanks to junior wives, were merely spouses. 

Poplar, polar, flying wolf pup, oak, oak, flying wolf pup chasing a flying, squealing piglet, pine. Illa's ravens clustered in the thickly grouped pines and atop the hut. He alighted beside one of the oldest ravens, Grimm, who was half-blind and almost as old as Illa, being her familiar. "Good afternoon, Grimm." 

Grimm clacked his beak, "Good afternoon, little Prince. Illa is busy with a commoner." 

A commoner all the way out here ? Very unusual. "Excuse me, old one." With a dip of his head, he fluttered down onto the path and preened his feathers. That was one of few instincts he didn't mind, since even birds had to look presentable.

The door to the hut creaked open, a thin commoner with close cut black hair stepped out, clutching a small canister. "I know me dad'll appreciate it, thank ye, Crone." The commoner didn't look that much older than him as he approached, may be Thor's age or his own. "Well, 'ello, birdie. 'ow're you doin' ?"

He shifted back into his real form. "I am well, yourself ?"

"I am good, too, Your Sneakiness, uh, err, err, I mean, Your Royalness." If the commoner had thrown himself down any faster he would've sprouted petals.

"Mm-hmm, the Allfather likes his citizens happy and in good health. What brings you out here...?"

"Oh, me name is Skurge Skaanson. Me dad is Chief Stonemason on the Grundfall Bridge Project. Some bloody Frost Giant smashed 'is hands up good in the War, ye see, so 'e needs a salve to keep 'em from stiffenin' up too much."

"He does good work, your father, I've observed it often from above. I shall have to ask mine and Councilman Kirgson about a fitting raise." It was meant too. Under Skaan's supervision the Grundfall Bridge, which connected the mainland to an outpost on the Isle of Jarnogg, had come up smoothly in just a month's time.

"That's real nice of Your Highness. I s'pose you're 'ere to see Illa ?"

"Indeed."

"I'll just get out of the way, then, shall I ?"

"Please do." When he entered the hut Illa was tapping an emerald topped staff on the floor. "Can I help you with something, Aunt Illa ?"

Illa didn't turn to look at him. "You took your time, Odin. You're always trying to impress young Frigga or horsing around with that Frost Giant Prince when you should be helping your family, it's not proper behaviour for a Prince of Asgard. Help me find that hemlock and shred it for the stew."

"Of course, Aunt Illa." Had Illa really just non-jestingly called him by Father's name ? Yes, her mind had seemed a bit afield last week, but it'd only been for a minute. Could her mind finally be starting to wander for good ? It seemed so. The hemlock had ended up mixed into a small basket of golden apples, which never would've happened before. Carefully, he picked it out and found some apples that were quite soft at the bottom. Normally, she would've gone through and tossed those out for the deer and bilge snipe herds. 

"Loki, what a pleasant surprise." She stumped over to him. "Did you want to learn the nullifying spell before or after stew ?"

He glanced over his shoulder as he finished shredding the hemlock. "Perhaps you could tell me the theory as it finishes stewing ? Who discovered it, why ?"

"Olgin the Afraid, 5th Allfather of Asgard. According to the records, what scraps we have, he was paranoid about everything and war prone as an extension. He didn't like the thought of anyone scrying on him, no matter if they were on his side or not. So he devised a spell to protect himself from every conventional scrying method and even the Allsight. It's a complicated spell but it'll be a breeze for you. You had only a few months long Apprenticeship thanks to that clever mind, and Frigga's good teaching, after all. You must first visualize the Warrior rune, the Sun rune, the Hunter rune, the Moon rune and the Eclipse rune. You must combine and conjure them to complete the spell: The warrior who stands before the sun to block prying eyes during the day, the hunter who blocks the moon at night and both will stand before you during spell casting, symbolizing the eclipse of ignorance by knowledge."

He'd barely been, like, 10-ish when Grandfather died. He remembered the stories well enough and what Father and Mother told him, but hardly anything aside from that. When it happened, Illa would be his first real loss. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited weird formatting and corrected a few little things.


	7. Stagnate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Freedom was a bright lure in a stagnating pond.

April 17th, 1020 A.D.

   Dear little Sly One,

      The Norns have granted me a few moments of clarity. First, let me say, again, that I never thought I would live to see my Great-Nephews in the flesh. It was an honour to train you in the ancient ways of magic, so young and your brightest hour is long in coming. Secondly, lastly, my nephew, your father, is a hard man to know and stubborn to the core. He changes sometimes not at all and others to the extreme of the situation's demands. Try to keep that in mind when he chastens you.

Remember all the best tragedies involve dead loved ones or mentors. I only regret not being able to be there in person when you need help most. I love you.

        Be smart, be strong,

                       Great-Aunt Illa.

Loki's fingers clenched around the letter. The Norns had granted her clarity, granted ? If the Norns cared so much why hadn't they let Healer Eir find a cure for it ? Why had they not answered his prayers and let him trade his magic for her sanity ? Now, it became obvious. Why had he bothered with prayer ? It was only empty platitudes for anxious minds, it had never accomplished anything. 

Movement on the floor caught his eye. A line of ants was headed right toward the apples he'd picked just the other day. The ones Illa would never again forget to eat, or discard. Incoherent rage rushed through his body and he stomped on them, grinding the barely sentient things into the floorboards for good measure.

"Loki ? Can I come in ?"

"Why are you asking me, Baldur ? It's not my hut." 

"I'm sorry about Illa. I've hardly the right to speak but I know that she was important to Asgard, and even more she was important to you. I wish I would've known her, too. If you ever need someone to talk to, I'm always free."

"Who can be free when freedom doesn't exist ?" Carefully, he re-folded the letter, then turned to Baldur. "Freedom is a bright lure in a stagnating pond, a lie that works perfectly until you feel the hook sink in and realize you fucked up !" He glared into the dark blue eyes, "I don't need to talk to you, Baldur Beloved. I hope Father uses the choir to commemorate her because your singing sounds like a dying frog." Without waiting for a response, he shifted into weasel form and slunk out of the empty hut. Through the overgrown grass, into the pines and an ancient badger sett and the nearest mountain. The bigger the tunnel became it also became more rancid, littered with half crushed skeletons and a rotting bull bilge snipe. One or two bioluminescent mushrooms lit his way into the cavern at the mountain's heart. Water dripped rapidly off a stalactite into the gently flowing river. 

An enormous black snake coiled upon a mossy pile of rocks in the center. The snake raised his head, golden eyes glinting. "Ah, young Loka. It's been a while since your last visit."

Exasperated, he shifted back into Asgardian form. "It's Loki, Maglin, I haven't been Loka since I saved you from that bear. Either way, you should know that...Illa is, she's dead." 

Before, when Mother told him, the tears hadn't come. He'd just stared at Mother in disbelief, it hadn't seemed real. It'd only been a few years that he'd truly known Illa but it'd seemed like forever, like it couldn't actually end. It couldn't, yet it had. She was gone. His vision blurred, finally the tears fell. Miserable, he sank to the ground and sobbed.  

"Oh." Pale green light shifted, scales rustled before Maglin's jaw brushed his shoulder. "I am sorry, hatchling."

"Thank you. M-May I ask how you met ? She never told me."

"Yes, you may. I was a hatchling though much older than you are now, she found me after I wedged myself too tightly in the fork of a tree. I was trying to get away from a winged wolf after I ate one of her pups. Illa used a shrinking spell and a healing potion, which she gave me afterward. I taste anger about you, why ?"

"Stupid Baldur. He dared to ask me, me, if he could come in ! Always sticking his nose in when I don't want him around. Why can't him and his stupid crush fuck off and go away ? He's worse than Thor, at least Thor didn't apologize for not knowing her." 

"I can do something about him."

"I don't want him dead, you understand, Maglin ? He's annoying, not awful."

 

4 hours later....

"Loki ? Brother, wake up. What are you doing out here ?! You could have been eaten by wolves ! And you smell like some..., Erm, like a bog. Seriously, were you rolling around in one ? You can't go to Great Aunt Illa's funeral smelling like that." 

He groaned as Thor shook him awake. He barely remembered crawling out of Malgin's lair and curling up on a shady rock. The sun was bright in the sky but it felt dim like someone'd thrown sand in his eyes and he couldn't dislodge it. His heart felt heavier than the stones in the dungeons. Why couldn't Thor have just let him sleep ? "It doesn't matter, she's not coming back." 

"You're always telling me I have to look my best, well, now it's my turn. You're a sorcerer, she was Court Sorceress, she knew how much presentation means. We're going to get you in that longboat, get you cleaned up so you don't look like a drowned weasel and find you a memory sphere."

"You...flew a longboat...and somehow didn't crash it ? Is that a holy ship, brother ? Did the Norns show up, just pop up out of the ground, and ward it against you for my sake ? How selective their generosity is."

"You don't have to get all snippy. Try to eat something, at least." Thor pulled him to his feet and over to the long boat. It was new as far as Asgard went, shiny gold and not quite autonomous.

Listlessly, he sat himself down on a strut and stared at the haversack that lay at his feet. "I'm not hungry." 

"Did she say anything, last time you saw her ?" 

"The choice of you, me or us means what, Loki ? That's what she said. A bunch of nonsense. At least she remembered my name." The boat was moving, lifting away above the mountains, toward the palace. It hardly seemed to be moving at all.

Snippets of the funeral and memorial feast would stay with him forever. How Illa lay unnaturally still in the skiff, dressed in an ornate gold robe, with a diamond tiara on her head and her walking stick clasped in her hands. When Father told of how Illa had threatened to turn him into a frog if he treated Mother wrong. How Skurge's father had thanked Illa for, "Being the best of good witches." on behalf of the commoners. How Mother had thanked Illa for all her advice and said that Asgard would've been far different without her, that she would be missed. How the golden sparks had spiralled into space, disappearing on the solar winds. 

After the feast, he stood outside in the adjoining hall. Wind whipped past his face as he stared up at the stars, toward Valhalla. One day Father was going to die, Thor was likely to get killed saving someone they didn't even know and Mother would probably die protecting Asgard from some magical threat. All of which meant that one day he would most likely be the last of the House of Odin. 

Even if he had an eternity to prepare, it still wouldn't be long enough.


	8. Scale

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Perhaps Loki had misjudged the scale of the matter a bit.

May 23rd, 1020 A.D.

"Agh. Damn it all, I hate brutes." Loki grumbled, picking himself up and dusting himself off. Ugh, why couldn't Alfheim be more jungle than desert ? It almost felt like he was going to shrivel up from the heat.

Baldur whispered, "Why is this part of the plan again ?" as he stretched.

"Do you see any brutes in these cages, apart from you ?" He cast his eye to the huddled group of young Alfar men and women, all of them lithe and pretty as he was. "I thought not. Don't be Thor and I should have us out of here in no time." 

A grey scaled Skraeling in partially rusted chain mail stepped out of the largest tent and strode over. A very sharp talon tapped a broken fang. "Well, hello again, my pretties. Ooh, you're new. Hmm, hair's a bit shorter than I'd like but the rest should make your new master very happy. And who are we ?"

"We are Prince Loki of Asgard and we bow to none but the Allfather."

"Oh-ho, my apologies, Your Highness. Should we let him out, do you think ?"

The answers came, "Cut out his tongue and see how the Allfather likes that !", "Let the Princess rot." and, "No, no, Naggy, ye've gotta take an eye so they finally see eye-to-eye. Ha ha ha, get it ?"

The Skraeling whipped the last speaker, a crystalline alien, with his tail. "Fools, we'll get more if he's got both his eyes and his tongue."  

God, he hoped Thor and the others were waiting in the canyon already. Other wise, instead of a well prepared ambush to free the slaves, he'd have to do it all himself. Well, him and Baldur. Still, if the Marauders wanted to discuss money. "You know, you'd get even more gold, perhaps enough to start a large kingdom, if you were to ransom me." If only because Mother would beg Father to pay it. "Not to mention that the Headsman would also pay dearly to have his son back. Think about it, would you rather have more gold than you've likely seen in your whole lives for two high born prisoners or a comparative pittance for a cageful of cretins ?"

"I'm not falling for your lies, Silvertongue, everyone knows Thor's the favoured prince. The Allfather couldn't give one shit about you, except that the gracious Queen loves you. Ah, I'd like to love her, too. Think she'd give herself over for you, huh ?"

He slammed a fist into the cage, which was so heavily enchanted that the bars barely vibrated from the force. "You filthy, misbegotten son of a frog, if you so much as dream of touching my mother I'll see you choke on your own blood before this day is through !" His anger faded and the light seemed to dim as weariness returned. Under the illusion of continued standing, he slumped against Baldur.

"Son of a frog ? My my, and here I thought you were supposed to be the diplomatic one."

"Oh, I assure you, that was polite. Thor would have called you far worse things. At least I would feel somewhat bad for calling you Lizard all the time, he wouldn't." 

"You can call me Rassnir, Your Prettiness."

"How droll. Your name reminds me of Father's horse, but if you had as much sense as Sleipnir does legs you would give your captives water, perhaps even sustenance."  
Rassnir hissed wordlessly and his claws clicked twice. Some scraps of frayed foot wrapping tore away, fluttering into the wind as he turned to walk off.   
He and Baldur slid down to the cage floor. A few minutes later, a Marauder wearing a face covering, a hole ridden Xandarian coat and blackened breast plate shoved some bowls of grit-filled water through the bars. There was something vaguely familiar about that Marauder's eyes, and very feminine.

It was impossible to think that he would ever in his life want to drink such a revolting thing. When a dark blond alf woman offered him a bowl he graciously declined. The prisoners stared at him and Baldur while forcing themselves to sip the contents. 

Why was it that the cooling enchantment he'd placed on Baldur's clothes seemed to have lasted longer than his ? They'd all been placed at roughly the same time. Perhaps the better question was: Why did Baldur smell like grapes ? That was still bugging him as he closed his eyes for a few seconds. Sharp pain in his wrists and ankles woke him up. Someone, likely Rassnir, had chained him to a rock beneath an overhang. "Agh." His eyes burned as something acidic fell into them. His body jerked at the searing pain and he squinted through it to see a pale snake leaning over him, its fangs bared. 

A gust of hot air rushed over his body and it was then he realized that he was completely naked. Whether he became a mouse or a mountain lion didn't matter, the cuffs shifted size with him, making an autonomous escape impossible. Trying to summon some clothing didn't work either so the chains were likely stolen from the Dwarves. Eitiri thought of every circumstance when forging a requisition, after all.

Something white shimmered on the horizon among the dunes. "Help !" His throat and lips had started to dry out. If that wasn't a heat induced illusion he could convince them to give him some water. Thankfully, it wasn't a mirage, it was a woman.

She unwound her covering, exactly like the one that the Marauder was wearing, and a long blond braid fell to her shoulders. Silver glinted at her hip, a flask of combined Asgardian and Alfar design. She bowed primly, yet her eyes seemed to linger an uncomfortably long time between his legs. "My Prince, I am Sigyn, daughter of Mara, neice to Healer Eir. The Allfather and Gunmar King assigned me to get close to Rassnir and help close this smuggling ring, it was my word you acted on."

For addressing him as Prince and being related to Eir she was severely lacking in tact. "Would you mind very much then, Lady Sigyn, to give me some water ?"  
"Oh, of course." Sigyn conjured a silver goblet and poured some clean water in before lifting his head to help him drink.  

The water helped to stave off the burgeoning ache in his head, though it didn't help for the rest of his pain. Well, at least, Sigyn made up for her tactlessness with dutifulness. She started ripping parts of her overlong sleeves into strips then dipped them into the goblet and slid them beneath the cuffs. It was a feat for the little snake that he hadn't noticed how deeply the cuffs had bit into his skin until the water flowed over them. 

Having used the last of the water for the make-shift bandages, Sigyn proceeded to hold the goblet over his head to catch the falling venom, though he took umbrage with her calling him, "My poor Ki."

"I have only just met you, Lady Sigyn, I am not your poor anything. Now be kind and fetch Lord Baldur from his cage or find my brother, I tire of laying here."

Sigyn flicked her fingers and a bolt of emerald fire streaked back the way she'd come. "So, how long have you and Lord Baldur been courting ?" The disdain in her voice was palpable.

"Baldur and I are not courting."

"Well, most people don't lean on just anyone and fall sleep. They're always either family, friends or lovers, and you're not family or friends so you must be lovers."

"I'd rather sleep with my own brother than Baldur."

"Ooh, I'd watch that."

He ignored that comment, trying to figure out where else he'd seen her before. It hit him then, "You were in the Healing Room after I stabbed Thor. You kept asking me if I wanted something and sulked when I told you to go away." Since that'd been settled he turned to watching for Baldur or Thor. The last thing he'd expected to see was a winged horse, yet there was Baldur in the saddle of one.  

Baldur rushed over, one of his eyes had swelled into a giant purple bruise and there was a small cut on his bottom lip. "Rassnir took the other prisoners toward the can...yon. Oh, you're, umm, you're naked."

"Thank you for the keen observation, Baldur, but if you were to let me borrow your cape I wouldn't be naked anymore."

Baldur unshouldered the pale blue cape and laid it over him. The sound of the chains snapping was one of the best he'd heard in a while. With the enchantment gone, he re-clothed and shoed himself then pushed himself up...only to collapse against the rock as his legs gave out. Despite his visionary vagaries, he tried to throw a knife at the irritating serpent. It laughed as his knife thudded into bare stone and slithered out of sight.

Sigyn scowled at Baldur. "Well, you two not lovebirds can take the horse to Prince Thor, I'm going to check in with Gunmar."

As Sigyn left he muttered, "Never trust a being named Gunmar, they're almost always the wrong sort of trouble." to Baldur. 

It made the dark blond frown. "What do you mean ?"

"Trolls are what I mean. We should count ourselves lucky that if they ever entered Bifrost they'd immediately turn to stone. Some of them are the size of Frost Giants or bigger and all just as monstrous. Help me over, please." 

Much as he despised any reminder of Get Help, he laid his arm over Baldur's shoulder and limped to the storm grey mare. Since he couldn't hope to control a horse for his numbed and tingling limbs he had to lean on the horse's neck to keep from falling off. The sand and heat haze seemed even blurrier than before. He'd definitely have to visit Eir before reporting to Father. For all he knew, he could end up blinded over night if he left it untreated. 

Baldur settled into the saddle behind him, "The canyon's not too far away. Are we going to tell Thor about this, erm...experience ?" 

Now he also had to deal with his debt to Baldur. "No, ideally this experience is staying between you, the Allfather and I. What does Baldur do when he's not trailing after Loki and Thor, besides singing, hmm ?"

"Huh. It's kind of embarrassing, really. I like sailing the old wooden ships, how peaceful it is when it's just you and the waves, but I am terrible at navigating."

That seemed almost too easy, all he had to do was commission something from Shipwright Thomson and do a bit of enchanting. It'd be painful as anything going back to Illa's hut, digging through the ancient, apple-scented spellbooks but that was where all the proven navigational spells were. "I actually like flying skiffs for much the same reason. Thor can't call me a cow for dodging Mjolnir during sparring if I'm in something that's faster than him. Like Hel am I going to risk turning into another Rorik One-Tooth."

The horse missed a wing beat as she hit a patch of rough air. Instinctively, he leaned back against Baldur. The warmth on his back contrasted nicely with the cool air on his face.  
"Loki ?"

It was said with such an odd tone that he had to tip his head over his shoulder. "What is it, Baldur ?"

For a single second Baldur's lips were warm and soft against his. A single second because Thor was suddenly screaming, "You frog-breathing Frost Giant, that's my little brother !" and ripping Baldur straight off the horse. 

Would it be too early to say that Thor's crush on Baldur was over ?

 

2 hours later...

He, Baldur and Rassnir had ended up in the Healing Room. Other than Eir giving him some eye drops, a potion for the pain and checking his blood's circulation, he was fine. The same could not be said for Baldur, who would need two days to heal from the beating Thor had given him. Rassnir, meanwhile, got to heal some broken ribs from Mjolnir before facing trial for abducting him, Baldur and the others. The Alfar had seen to their own after they'd noticed the gigantic thunderstorm over the canyon and sent runners to check up.

When he had finished his report did Father say, "I'm sorry, my boy. Are you all right ?" no. Instead Father said, "Do you truly not like Sigyn ?"

"Have you listened to nothing ? I despise such tactlessness, such overt hostility and over familiarity as that...that woman displayed."

"That is a shame. I had hoped you would make a strong bond, but your thoughts toward her will change, I know. She is, after all, your betrothed."

"I beg pardon because I must be hearing things. Since when have I been betrothed ? I think I would remember such a momentous event as that."

"Since you were 5, actually. Her father was delighted when I suggested it. You will marry her when you come of age."

"No ! No no no no. Be it a thousand or ten thousand years from now, I swear to Great Aunt Illa, I will refuse. Were I ever to love another know now that it is your fault I would never marry them. You'll not have children of me, but what does that matter ? You don't care anyway. You never have." To break a vow sworn upon the dead meant incurring their wrath, which meant possibly life altering or lethal consequences. Not that he had any plans to marry Thor, even if it hadn't been incest.

"Loki, I love you...,"

"Shut up, I hate you !" With that shout echoing around the throne room, he turned and strode out, physically slamming the golden doors shut behind him. From the corner of his eye, he saw the Einherjar light footing at their posts trying to avoid the magical fire that had swirled out from his steps. It made him grin. Yet, just as quickly the satisfaction faded.

How could Father do this to him ? Him who had no more than a tangential interest in romance and clearly disliked Sigyn. Why had Father not just betrothed Thor to Sif instead ? Thor'd always been more romantically inclined, flopping around like a dying fish between him, Baldur and Sif, even though now it was only him and Sif. But, of course, betrothal would limit Thor's options and the favoured prince had to have all the options.

Even though he didn't need them, why didn't he deserve them too ?


	9. Green

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki hoped Typhis looked green when he realized his enthralling days were over.

May 24th, 1020 A.D.

"Rassnir the Marauder you are sentenced to death for the smuggling of sentient beings with the intent of thralldom. Also, for the abduction and injuries sustained by Loki Odinson, my secondborn, and by Baldur Jurgenson. Have you any last words ?"

Loki raised an eyebrow at the Skraeling, waiting to see if there'd be anything at all.

Rassnir's chains rattled as he shifted in his cuffs before the throne. "I'm not even Chief, that's Typhis. I was just doing most of it on his orders. There's a little place on Nornheim called The Drunken Turtle, it's where we sell them. We're supposed to make a delivery tomorrow, Typhis'll be there and the buyers like to verify the, uh, purchases personally so everybody'll be there. You can let me go now, right ? That's what the deal was."

The Drunken Turtle ? Was that not the place that had burned down 30 times in the last hundred years ? It sounded so. Hmm. Well, at least, Thor would finally be the one to stick out. Unless, he decided to blacken Thor's armour. Some places on Midgard were irrationally afraid of him, his eyes specifically, because green was cursed. If Asgard were lucky it would be cursed for Chieftain Typhis as well.

"That opportunity passed when you insulted my queen." A collective gasp of horror and angry shouting rippled through the packed throne room. Gungnir hit the floor three times before Father could continue, "Einherjar take this Marauder to the Medina for execution."

When the Einherjar led Rassnir past he had to put a hand on Thor's arm to restrain him. "Don't, he will die soon enough. When we catch his compatriots tomorrow they will answer the same." Unless some of those compatriots were Lords, Ladies and sundry from beyond Yggdrasil's borders. "After he is dead you can apologize to Baldur then we can plan."

"Your last one didn't go that well."

"Yes, it did. It went flawlessly, except for the desert being hot as Muspelheim and you know I don't do well in extreme heat." Thirty minutes after Rassnir's head rolled, he gestured Thor to Baldur's bedside. Baldur's re-blackened eye had faded to purple as had most of the bruises on his face. Although, he doubted the ones on Baldur's torso would have made such progress.

Thor glared sulkily at him and walked over. "I am sorry I beat you half to death, friend Baldur. Even though I love Loki dearly, I should not have done what I did. Can you forgive me ?"

"Of course, Thor. If you don't help Loki protect himself, even in the most unusual of circumstances, who will ? I admit I thought of doing the same when I caught my brother kissing Fandral a few months ago. Just because our brothers have kissed someone does not mean that they love us any less."

"Heh, I suppose you're right." Thor clapped Baldur on the shoulder.

"Ow."

"Sorry, again." 

He cleared his throat. "Perhaps we should leave Baldur before you kill him by way of apologies. Fare well until you are on your feet again, Baldur." 

"Thank you, Loki."

After they exited the Healing Room, he started detailing his plan.

 

May 25th, 1020 A.D.

"I don't know about this. It feels like I'm not...me this way."

Loki rolled his eyes. "Nonsense, you are well-known as a blond and you look perfectly handsome with red hair. See ?" He summoned his silver hand mirror and gave it to Thor. Just to be on the safe side, he had blackened Thor's armour. Although, it was still obviously Asgardian.

"Hmm. Well, I guess it doesn't look too bad. Did you just become a woman ? Wait, what the Hel ?! Your eyebrows just disappeared."

"Ooh, I hate when that happens. Give me that back, please." She glared at the bare ridges, the seconds of unbearable itching as the hair grew back felt like minutes. That done, she examined her dress; it was shiny black silk with an emerald shawl. Next was her new collection of tiny braids and the intricately woven silver choker, bracelets and earrings. Perfect. "Call me Greta, you can be my big, strong, generally mute bodyguard."

"You're going to steal Cousin Greta's name ? I think Gertrude or Bertha would suit you better."

"I like it best, and no one can question my position because the real Greta is connected to us by Uncle Valli. Now lead the way."

The Drunken Turtle was a three storey inn made of green brick with small windows, set beside it was an open air marketplace. Most of the thralls stood or sat in neat lines, they were chained to the floor like animals awaiting slaughter. Inside the Turtle small lanterns glowed with magical flames. Beige walls off set a dark walnut bar and a lounge filled with small tables and plush emerald chairs and couches. 

A big, weathered roan Centaur in a black silk vest and heavy silver earrings approached. "Welcome, friends, to my fine establishment. I am Typhis, what shall I call you, darling ?"

She waved away Thor's growl. "Feel free to ignore Tormund, Master Typhis, I do most times. You may call me Lady Greta. The Allfather had some lizard executed for selling thralls yesterday and I just had to come see if the rumours about this place were true."

"Rest assured they are, My Lady. Were you looking for some new servants, a lady in waiting or perhaps you'd be more interested in a second guard ?"

"I was thinking more of a conversation piece. Something interesting and pretty but not too pretty, you understand ?"

"If I may be so bold, none could hope to match you in sheer beauty." At that Thor's hand dropped to Mjolnir, which currently looked like a mace. Typhis didn't seem to notice,

"We keep our interesting pieces on the third floor, away from our esteemed guests. Will you be staying the night ? Today is only the first of three days worth of auctions."

"Oh, no, no. Someone would miss Tor and I were we to stay away too long."

They followed Typhis up the squared staircase. Thor's beard brushed against her ear and he huffed, "The horse pushes his luck, any further and I'll rip his tail out to use as a muzzle."

"Once again, violence is not the answer to everything. Should it continue I will deal with it, not you."

Typhis had stopped on the second floor landing beside a man with an animal's head, which had long straight ears and a drooping snout. Golden plates hung over his chest while a white kilt with gold embroidery wrapped around his waist. The stranger bowed and said, "Greetings, Your Ladyship, I am Set, God of the Desert and Lord of Egypt."

She returned his bow. "It is a pleasure, Lord Set. I am Greta, Goddess of Glory, Lady to the House of Odin. This is Tormund, sworn to protect me, and the House of Valli." By way of all Asgard.

Set wished her well and hoped she would find a piece she liked. Finally, she, Thor and Typhis made it up to the third floor and the fourth door on the left. A tall woman with blue skin and red irises sat alone in a corner, a tattered blue uniform clung to her nearly emaciated frame. If the woman had actually been a Frost Giant she would have had no whites to her eyes, her veins would have shown through and she would have attacked when she saw Thor's armour. 

Of course, she feigned ignorant. "Is that a Frost Giant ? I was barely a few days old when the Allfather banned travel to Jotunheim."

"Oh, yes. We picked her up directly from Jotunheim, off a collapsing ice shelf. I'll tell you what, since you like her I'll let you name her and keep her for you. How's that sound ?"

"I think I'll name her Kora. If you are always so generous, Master Typhis, I don't know how you make a profit."

"Well, I don't do this for just any one. Let us go back to the bar and have some drinks before the auction starts, on me."

She had a goblet of red wine, Thor three pints of some dark Nornir beer and Typhis a thing he called malt whiskey. Natural clouds scudded in as they made their way out to the stage. A subtle shift to her ear drums let her hear the hum of Asgardian skiffs and a barge as they approached. So far all was going to plan. Set opened the bidding on the first thrall, a terrified blond Alf girl. It would be horrible for diplomacy if she let a stranger buy one of Gunmar King's subjects so it was a large sum well spent. Of course she had to let some of the others buy one or two and Thor didn't like that, so thunder started rumbling. 

The Einherjar took their preferred signal to attack as the current signal, instead of the raven flock that was the actual signal. Skiffs zoomed out of the forest to surround the Drunken Turtle and Einherjar leaped out to secure the former thralls and the buyers. Unsurprisingly, Typhis bolted the second he saw the flash of gold. Of course, the Centaur didn't get far. Typhis ran straight into her wards, causing the gold honeycomb like magic to shimmer into view. She shifted back into her birth form and approached Typhis.

Typhis whirled and stamped his front hooves. "I should have known not to trust an Asgardian. Who are you really ?" A green tinge had Typhis' face looking like a clump of seaweed. Disgust warred with disbelief, disbelief won. How could two little Asgardians turn his whole operation upside down ?

"Loki, God of Mischief. Einherjar Jannson, Mannson, shackle this walking piece of filth." While the Einherjar hurried to do as he bid, he went to see if Set had gotten away. The God of the Desert had disappeared like a snake amid shifting sands, but three others had not been so lucky. One was the minor Nornir sorcerer who actually owned the Drunken Turtle and kept up the thralls care. Another was a pink skinned Xandarian woman and the last was the Vanir Ambassador to Asgard. Whoops.

Kora, whose real name was An-vel, hobbled out of the Turtle to thank him. The blond Alf girl didn't say anything when she was freed, just hugged him like a bear cub. The thralls, 200 in total, were taken to Asgard for healing before being sent home via Bifrost.

As for the perpetrators ? Father sentenced the Nornir to be flogged, 30 lashes, and branded. The Xandarian woman was put into a lightly furnished cell to await an investigation into the matter by the Xandarian leader, Prime. She would end up sentenced to 50 years in prison and 15 years of community service on Xandar. Typhis and the Vanir Ambassador, on the other hand, were not given so lenient sentences. Both were summarily executed for wilfully enabling the inter-Realm trafficking, buying and selling of thralls.

None of it made the sadness of Illa's passing disappear for long, only an hour or so, but it was welcome all the same.


	10. Relevant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Father's attempt to make Sigyn relevant was not going to work.

 May 26th, 1020 A.D.

 The half moon glittered dimly from within the confines of a cloud bank. Loki leaned back on the bench, bored out of his mind. Over the last two hours he had turned drinks into dragonflies, Thor's cape into snakes and telekinetically reanimated Lady Siv's taxidermized snowy owl hat. Lady Siv had worn that damned hat, also known as Lord Beaky, to every garden party and terrorized him with it in his youngest years. It'd been rather cathartic watching the elder shriek as Lord Beaky waddled after her.

 Servants hurried to light the lanterns hung around the garden as twilight tinged the horizon. A burst of crimson at the entrance caught his eye, it was Sigyn and the little Alf girl. He almost couldn't smother his laughter, Sigyn looked so ridiculous. With her hair resembling a large beehive, Sigyn seemed about to catch fire. Had he had any say she would never even have caught his eye.

Father had most likely sent for Sigyn thinking that a different setting would foster the beginnings of romance. Not very likely. Since it was impolite to ignore a Lady and he did not feel like getting up he waited for them to approach before rising to greet them. "Lady Sigyn. Hmm, I do not believe I ever heard your name, child. Might I ask what it is ?"

The girl edged behind Sigyn's skirt and blushed. "Helga, daughter of Mara, Prince Loki. Thank you for saving me, and you make a very pretty lady, too." 

"You are welcome, and I shall take that as the highest compliment, Lady Helga. You know, I always wished I had a little sister. I wanted to name her Raina or Helga because they're such pretty names. Please excuse my dreadful manners, you must be thirsty after all that walking from Bifrost. Servant, get some drinks for Ladies Sigyn and Helga." A blond servant quickly but carefully returned with some goblets of wine, one watered for Helga. "Thank you." Surely they were only half sisters ? Sigyn didn't have the tipped ears that marked Dark Elves and Alfar while Helga did. It was a curiosity to go unsated since he had no intention of ever digging that deeply into her life. 

Sigyn sipped at her wine. "Was Lord Baldur not able to attend ? I thought he was hitched to you like a cart."

She wanted to game, did she ? Well, he wasn't going to back down. "Lord Baldur is currently unwell, and I see you are still friendly as a dehydrated porcupine, despite Lady Helga's safety."

Helga giggled, "What's a porcupine ? It sounds funny."

"This is one...," He summoned an illusion of the little brown animal with quills between them. "And this one is when I find it really funny, when it has leaves stuck all over." The illusion transitioned to being covered in a multitude of gold and reddish-orange leaves, which caused Helga to giggle again. A few minutes later, Helga ran off with Lady Siv's granddaughters leaving him and Sigyn alone. "Why was it that my father sent you into that camp ? Was it just because of Helga or did he plan us to meet ?"

"It was just Helga."

"Betrothed shouldn't lie to each other, Sigyn. It sets a bad precedent. 

"I fail to see the relevance, you don't want this betrothal anyway."

"You are right, I do not, but until the Allfather nullifies it everyone thinks that we are going to marry when I come of age. Ah, I see my uncle Valli has returned briefly to civilization." 

Uncle Valli was hard to miss, being around 7 feet tall did that, so the crowd parted very quickly. "Ha ha, if it isn't my nephew Loki." Atop the wavy, black and grey hair was a golden helmet with short straight horns. The bushy beard was even longer than he remembered being down to Uncle Valli's breast plate. A small tube was also strapped across the crimson cape. "Beg pardon, Your Ladyship. Come here, you little twig, it's good to see you." 

"It's, uff, good to see you too, Uncle Valli." That was all he could manage without feeling like his shoulder blades would collapse into his ribs. "Down, please." 

"Right. Let us go and talk somewhere more private, I've something to give you."

Grateful to get away from Sigyn, he led Uncle Valli out of the garden and into an arbor covered with red, yellow and purple hellebore. "Have you been painting again ?" 

"I have. My older brother, your father, was never too close to your great aunt Illa, unlike you and I. I know she was teaching you magic, that she taught Frigga a bit too, and, pardon the phrasing, I got bit by the inspiration fly. It's not much but I hope you'll like it." Uncle Valli unslung the tube and pulled out a small painting, which he then enlarged with a bit of magic. 

Set against a background of sunlit pine trees, Illa leaned on her walking stick in her ragged witch's dress and cloak with the old raven Grimm half hidden by her hair. To Illa's right was Mother in a shimmery sea green dress and he was on Illa's left in green and black cotton. 

His throat closed up, "It's actually her. It looked so wrong, seeing her in those gold clothes and the circlet. Thank you." 

Whether it hung in his study/library or armoury, it would always be worth more to him than the entirety of the Weapons Vault.

* * *

June 13th, 1020 A.D.

Cool, salt scented wind brushed Loki's face. He was gazing up at the stars when Baldur tripped over a rock, swore loudly and promptly apologized. "By Odin's wizened eye, I will never tire of that. Now, friend Baldur, do you have any thoughts on why I have asked you here ?" 

"Perhaps you are thinking of turning me into a fish ? A horse ? Or one of those water horse things ? Oh, I remember now. The kelpies, from that strange skald's ballad ?"

"That would be fun, but no. Rather, I brought you all this way to repay my life debt." With an elaborate flourish, he dispeled the illusion on the boat. "You need no longer fear navigational woes either, simply say where it is you wish to go and the ship will take you. Mind that rudimentary steering is still required to avoid whirlpools, submerged rocks and the Hafgufa." 

Dark blue eyes had already widened at the single masted ship's appearance, now they seemed about to pop from surprise. "I-I don't know what to say." 

"I accept or I decline would be traditional." Yet even he didn't actually expect Baldur to kiss his hand. Kneel and clasp it, yes, but kiss ? Kissing hands/rings hadn't been part of Asgardian traditions in, at least, 10 millennia, due to attempted bites from criminals, jealous nobles and criminal nobles. 

"I, Baldur Jurgenson, am honoured to accept my most gracious Lord Loki's gift, although I do not know what I have done to earn it." 

Impulsively, he lifted his hand to fiddle with a still fluttering strand of Baldur's hair. He never actually had gone through with his plan of cutting it off and turning it into ponies. Yet. "I say you have earned this gift by saving me from futher embarrassment in captivity, by freeing me from my bonds and by saving me from a life long marriage to Sigyn Maradaughter." 

Baldur blushed and rose, "Anyone else would have done the same." 

"No, they would not. Most do not care enough to worry about Loki, the disposable one, the coward."

"You are not a coward. Bloody Hel, everyone should be singing the ballad of Loki the Lucky, the 55 year old who has gotten out of numerous battles with little injuries and no scars. Our society, sometimes I have no clue."

"Maybe you'll have to write, then ? Test the ship, tell me tomorrow how you like it, if not we can have the Shipwright modify it. Oh, and it is also quite portable. At your will you can either shrink it to fit into your pocket or re-enlarge it." 

With a cry of, "You shall not sink a ship of mine this time, Hafgufa !" Baldur jumped from shore to deck. "Ship, take me to Wulf Tooth Point." 

He watched the sail fill magically and the vessel head for open water. It really was a nice night.

Maybe he would have to go for another walk. Maybe he would even stop at Illa's hut.


	11. Wet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki'd have to get a bit wet to find the spellbook.

June 15th, 1020 A.D.

Loki set the ancient bone bowl down as the emerald fire died to ash. "I thank the ancestors for their help."

Thor burst into his chambers. "Whatever you want to say to Loki, you can say to me. Right, brother ?"

"Ah-ah. Foot, move it over the runes, over, not through !" He scowled at Thor's foot, which hovered dangerously close to the edge of his circle.

Thor huffed, "It's just a circle." but stepped around to stand beside a bookshelf anyway.

"It is not just a circle, brother, it keeps evil ghosts from hurting me. Now, what are you doing barging in uninvited ? It's quite rude."

"Baldur wants to ask you something. Or has the giant cat got hold of your tongue ?"

Baldur stepped into sight, brushing some hair behind his ears. "I was just wondering if you wanted to do something sometime. Uh, I beg your pardon, My Prince, but why are you wearing body paint ?"

"The Norns are finnicky with providing visions when I am female so spiritual sources were more reliable. This paper...," He lifted the piece of paper from the ashes, which was covered in mountain lion's blood writing. "Tells me where a long lost spellbook is supposed to lie. Hmm, Dead Star Falls in Nornheim." He could use Baldur for deflections and Thor as willing bait for anything big and hungry.

"Isn't that near the Drunken Turtle ? Maybe that's where Typhis was trying to run off to. We should go."

"If there're Marauders you are not going alone."

"I wouldn't be alone, Baldur would be there."

"That is alone since you like sneaking off. We're all going."

After he had washed off the paint, pulled on his shirt and the mail skirted long coat, they made their way through the Bifrost to Nornheim. Yes, it took longer to walk, instead of using a skiff, and Thor kept shooting Baldur dark looks, but they remained undetected. Dead Star Falls was named for an ancient meteorite that had plunged into the basin and deepened it considerably. Mist wreathed high over a set of sharp rocks that the falls tumbled over.

Baldur eyed the rocks warily and shouted, "I don't know about this, it's a long way down."

"Pfft. Have you turned into a coward, Baldur ? There are Marauders down there. For Asgard !"

Although it wouldn't have helped, he still cried. "Thor ! There is a staircase right there !" He gestured to a cleverly hidden lip of stone by the waterfall's edge. "Idiot." While lightning flashes refracted into rainbows, he and Baldur started picking their way down the slick staircase. Baldur still managed to slip once and fall past him, he caught him, of course. "Do you trust me ?!"

"Yes."

"Goodbye." He let go, laughing as Baldur thumped gently onto the grass. Then he pushed himself off and twisted to land on his feet. "All right, now we have the fun part, finding that book. I am going to turn us both into fish and we can look for secret tunnels in the basin."

Baldur scrubbed at his newly regrown beard. "I've never been a fish before. What if I move at the wrong time and end up with gills on land ?"

"Then I would push you into the water. Come now, Baldur, would Loki Silvertongue allow that to happen in a serious matter like this ? No, he would not. Your legs will become a tail, your arms fins and, to put a complicated matter shortly, your lungs will become gills." He didn't actually know where the gills came from, but any explanation helped. "You can be Baldur the Trout or Troudur and I'll be Pike Loki or Piki. How's that sound ?"

"It sounds ridiculous." Yet Baldur laughed.

"Good. Now get in the water, and, after it happens, don't be scared of the fish-brain it only lasts for a few seconds, maybe a minute, at most." Although, it was random and potentially wouldn't happen right away.

The water was cool and clear with little plants scattered about until it deepened. Troudur went a surprisingly long timw without fish-brain, it only kicked in when Troudur looked behind, saw him swimming along and darted through a large clump of weeds. With an understanding tail flick, he followed...into a spacious, rough hewn tunnel. It was large enough to fit a small Kronan or Centaur. Carefully, he swam up through the smoothening rock until he breached the surface beside Troudur. Before them was a set of wide stairs that led to a small guard room with an occupied table and chairs. An idea formed in his mind. He ducked under the surface then shifted back into his true form and floundered onto the steps, coughing and gasping.

A dappled equinoid in a bronze helmet and girdle with badger fur greaves rose from his chair. "Poseidon's trident, are you all right ?"

"Baldur, Baldur, Baldur ? Have you seen him ?" He scrabbled to his feet and dashed over to the doorway. "Beloved, where are you ?!" His last memories of helping Illa make potions made the sob real as he sank to the floor. "I-I wasn't paying attention and w-we went over the Falls."

The equinoid clopped over. "Oh, poor little sweetie, I'll help you find him. What's he look like ?"

A smirk tugged at his lips. At least a bit of that twitchiness would help. "H-he's big, blond and has pretty, blue, eyes."

"Does he shout angrily a lot ?"

"Sometimes."

"Why don't we go check the cells ? I think we might've caught your Baldur earlier."

With a wave of his hand, he returned Baldur's true form to him, and climbed to his feet. "You are too kind." Actual Baldur could manage to sneak by or kill the others at his leisure. For all he knew, the new Chieftain had spilled the spellbook's location to Thor. Damn. If only he had known about it when they'd run into Typhis. He followed the equinoid down a right hand passage lit with torches it ended in a small cavern.  Thor was furiously punching a cage like the one on Alfheim.

At the sight of him, Thor stopped. "Bro-oki, what are you doing in here ?! If you have laid one hoof on him, Horse, I will roast you !"

Rather boldly, he took the keys from the equinoid's belt and unlocked the cage. "I'm sorry, I should have watched what I was doing. I-I thought you were dead." Feigning relief, he wrapped his arms around Thor's shoulders. "Give us a kiss." So far as his limited experience went, it wasn't bad. Thor's lips were also warm and soft, but his having a slightly longer beard made it tickle. It made him either want to laugh or sneeze. A moment passed as he stared into the sky blue eyes, butterflies suddenly fluttered in his stomach. What in Hel had he just done ? Focus. It was time to focus. Still with their foreheads pressed together, he whispered, "Breeze him."

When they walked out of the cage and around the equinoid, he ducked behind Thor. Seconds later, Mjolnir burst through the nearest wall and Thor made a little whirlwind to knock the equinoid into the cell. Quickly, he re-locked it. "It's nothing personal, you understand." 

As they passed the guard room Baldur was sat in the equinoid's place. "This is my ship. Isn't it cute when its tiny ?" There was an, "Aww, little shippy ship." from a more drunken Marauder.

He snickered and walked on. Of course when they encountered unoccupied Marauders in the central hall Thor had to bull right in, Mjolnir sparking. Dagger ready, he circled the perimeter, edging toward the bronze framed doorway. If that didn't lead to the Chieftain's chambers he'd eat a book. Water droplets landed in his hair as he crept down the hall, casting ward detecting spells. Nothing. Either the book wasn't inside, whoever had it wasn't a sorcerer or they were and had something very nasty in store. There was no door, just an empty frame, a small cot, a large book on a pedestal and a long, white haired old man. "Greetings, elder."

The man, who'd been fiddling with the hem of his cobalt robe, looked up in surprise. "You are a clever one, aren't you ?" A bronze bracer covered his left wrist, a smattering of scales glittered mid breast and a pauldron was strapped to his right shoulder.

"I prefer sly, but, yes. Tell me, were you of Asgard once ?"

"I would needs be stupid not to recognize one of Bor's descendants. I am Master Garrson, what brings you ?"

Garrson ? Illa had mentioned that name evasively, sadly, once. "That book on the pedestal, I think. In the last months of her life Illa the Illustrious would mutter of a long lost spellbook though she named it not. I tracked it here and I would have it if I may. Surely, you have memorized all of its spells by now ?"

"Ah." Garrson's whole body drooped and he suddenly leaned on a staff. "You confirm horrid news for me, young Prince. Until now I had thought to deny it as a mere waking nightmare. What use are clear memories when none are left to share them ? My love died of what ?"

He banished his dagger. "Memory loss. At her age, and as she forgot her life, her heart weakened until it forgot to beat. Know she fought it bravely and sits with her brother and father in Valhalla."

"I did not deserve her, so Burri Allfather said. He would not have his only daughter married to a stable boy become a Master of Magic and so I joined the Marauders out of spite. Like those before me, I hoarded this book to sharpen myself. Take it back, let others not share her fate and leave me die here alone."  

"I was not there for her, if truly you meant something to her then I can be for you." For a second, he felt Illa's presence, warm and reassuring at his back. So, he helped Garrson to lay down on the cot. Minutes later, more of Illa had died with Garrson than he would ever know, lest Ragnarok came tomorrow. The spellbook of Munnin felt even heavier as he clutched it to his chest. Had he let it out of sight it might have disappeared again. Thor's hand lay on his arm and Baldur walked at his side.

But for the distant rush of the Falls, silence reigned. 


	12. Were

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Father didn't want Thor fighting werewolves so Loki had to do it.

July 7th, 1020 A.D.

"Mother, what should I do about Baldur and Sigyn ?" Loki had finally managed to bring up Sigyn's jealousy and Baldur's kissing him on Alfheim. There was no way he would bring up kissing Thor the day before. Heimdall's oath mandated reporting most actions taken by the Royal House off-Realm, yet the Gatekeeper had just looked at them with those unnerving, all seeing, golden eyes. Held off by concern of Thor alone, he was sure. 

Mother stroked his hair. "My dear, you put too much pressure on yourself. No one is expecting you to decide such things for a long time. If you decide that you like Baldur as a friend or more that is fine, if you do not like him that is fine, too. Know that I do not approve of Sigyn's actions or your father's. I wanted to tell you when he approved the betrothal, but he said that you were too young to understand and stuck to that story. Meanwhile, Sigyn knew this whole time and it does not excuse her overfamiliarity. I will talk to your father again, you do not want this and she has made it clear that she is not worthy of a Prince of Asgard."

"Thank you. Mother, when Healer Eir is done with the memory spellbook, would you teach me some spells from it ?"

"Of course. You know, if what I heard about that book is correct there are some thought spells in it too. Apparently, there is one where you can temporarily take control of your enemy's mind."

"You mean, I could make Sigyn stick leaves in her hair and run around on all fours like a dog ? Which I would never do, of course, because it is unbecoming of a Prince of Asgard."

"Well, if it should happen, which it won't, you were practicing spells with me the whole time. Is there anything else you want to talk of ?"

"I met Master Garrson on Nornheim. If Great-Grandfather wasn't going to make Illa the Allmother and she really loved Garrson, then why didn't she run away with him ? Was it because of her duties as Princess and Court Sorceress ? Did she think he didn't need her ? I just, I wish I could ask her still."  

"I know, but I am ever grateful that she stayed. I wouldn't've been nearly as prepared for you without her. She told me to get the crib ready before your father came back from Jotunheim. Sure enough, later that evening he brought you in from the Healing Room. According to Eir, you'd been on the verge of death and I have to agree because you were absolutely ravenous."

"Father didn't tell Thor and I that part when he told us the war story."

Mother sighed heavily, glancing through the columns over the sunlit city outside. "Of course he didn't. Enough of that, though. Why don't you go do something fun ? Like not scaring Thor by turning into a dragon and nibbling on his toes ?"

The doors to the King's Suite antechamber swung open. "I beg your pardon, My Queen, My Prince, but the Allfather requests Prince Loki to the lower throne room. My Prince."

What now ? Father couldn't possibly get mad at him for turning the drunkard who insulted Illa into a duck. Unfortunately, the drinking hall's cat had only taken off a few feathers, but the drunkard had gotten a good buffeting from old Grimm upon return to form. It was not, in fact, about a duck, it was about werewolves.

"Heimdall says that werewolves are attacking Tonsberg. You will go and see if they can be reasoned with, if not they must die."

"The little ones, too ? That could take awhile if they didn't, ahem, discriminate."

"This is not the time for jests ! Were Thor not busy I would send him, but he is, now go."

"As the Allfather commands." With a bow, he turned and descended the pale stairs then walked out into the main hall. It made perfect sense that as soon as something involved werewolves Thor was suddenly too busy to go fight them. After all, Father couldn't have his precious heir cursed into a werewolf who'd salivate on and scratch up the throne for three days a month. Just for such an occasion, he'd had a pair of silver daggers forged.

Funnily enough he found Thor standing at the door to his chambers. "Oh, umm, hello, brother."

Perhaps this was the time to stick to familiarity. "What, no barging in ?"

"I'd be surprised if you didn't still have the circle up and I'm not getting turned into a quacker. I also, I got this for you. Pretty eyes, it matches your eyes. I mean, in female form, not that it doesn't now, that would be idiotic, because they're the same colour."

This was an emerald carved into a coiled snake and hung from a thick silver chain. Awkwardness settled in, he decided to try a balladic shoulder jab. "Hey, if nothing else I can always strangle a few werewolves with it."

"Yeah, the only dead werewolves are good werewolves. Erm. I'll just, I am going to go to the sparring grounds. Try not to get eaten." Thor slunk off like a dog, blushing red as a Frost Giant's eyes.

It would blend a bit with his silver and emerald armour, but it'd be rude not to wear it. He grabbed the silver daggers, banished them, summoned his armour and made for his waiting horse. No one wished him good luck, of course, except when he got to the Rainbow Bridge. A ship with a silver and blue sail and a dragon headed prow lay anchored beside it. 

Baldur jumped up and down on the deck. "Good luck ! Fare well."  

As he dismounted, he called back, "Thank you. I will." Heimdall sent him to the edge of Tonsberg between the forest and the village. According to the ancient ballads there were three types of werewolves: Cursed, Bitten and Born. Cursed involved draping themselves in a wolf fur enchanted by dark magic, they could change whenever they wanted. Bitten were the uneaten victims of the Cursed or Born, they changed only by the full moon's light. The Born were sired and thus trapped in wolven form for ever.  

A bipedal black wolf stood atop the Chieftain's long house, silhouetted against the full moon. "They say the Gods do not feel pain and that the Old Gods do not die. Do the New ?" It howled and ten others leaped over houses to stand before him.

"Why don't you ask me again later ? Oh, yes, you won't because I'm going to bring your pelt back to Asgard. Mother will probably turn you into a blanket for some commoner's child. So far as I can tell it will be an improvement, you'll give someone a bit of warmth that way."

"Kill the Trickster !"

They couldn't have killed him even if he'd stood still without armour. The ten loping werewolves fell to his fire imbued throwing knives. Scattered among the reverting werewolves were the bodies of their victims - children, warriors and elders all. As he walked onto the path, he summoned his helmet and gestured to the last werewolf. "Come to Loki, Wolf, and join your miserable pack beyond Hel's gates." 

Illusions didn't work on beings who relied more on their sense of smell than their minds, so he was down to daggers and agility. He cartwheeled aside as the werewolf leaped down, he slashed at its right hamstring with a dagger, which connected. The werewolf yelped like it was on fire and lunged frenziedly. On his back he went and it flew over him crashing into the packed dirt. Snarling, barely pausing to shake its head, it picked itself up, rushing at him on all fours. It was just too easy, so he shifted into fly form. Ah, how it irritated the werewolf as he buzzed around its head. It jumped, snapped and circled uselessly. When he got bored he shifted back into his true form and landed on the exhausted werewolf's back. Deciding to put Thor's gift to use, he wrapped the necklace tightly around the ruffed neck. "I give you one last chance. Leave Tonsberg for ever or go to Hel now."

The stench of burnt flesh started to fill the air. "It matters not to me, you'll join us soon enough."

He tightened his grip until the bone snapped. An inexplicable shiver ran down his spine. With a huff, he listened for animalistic breathing. Nothing, not even to an owl's hearing. Silver normally sped the reversion upon death but this one did not, it was one of the Born, then. Upon removing the fur from its former owner, he stood and shouted, "Tonsberg, hear me and know that you are saved !"    

Midgardians poured from their houses. A little boy, likely Allin, cried, "Hail Loki, God of Mischief, God of Night !" A grown male voice, possibly the Chieftain, took it up and the Clan followed suit.  The sky seemed to echo with his praises. So what if he encouraged it a little bit ? Not even Thor had two claims to godhood.  

Mother did indeed turn the werewolf fur into a blanket and give it to a commoner when he returned home.


End file.
